Neville Bench, Bench’s brother, said they had both spent all of their lives in Whangārei. Bench’s two children had moved to Auckland and Australia as adults, but Bench and his wife remained in Northland. “People here did all they could do to find him,” Neville Bench said on the search for his brother. Bench’s family said they want to thank the “amazing” Whangārei community for the huge effort people put in during the search for Bench. They did not want to comment further as it is still quite raw, they said. Bench was found by searchers near the summit of Mount Parihaka, an ancient volcano with a scenic reserve.
Genna Gillispie, who lives next door to Bench, said he had left his house about 8pm. “There was a helicopter up earlier today looking for him,” she said on Friday. “We have had some people come and look over the area again as well as sniffer dogs earlier on Thursday, but we’ve had no luck so far.” Northland police said there had been a possible sighting of Bench in the Whangārei CBD area about 7am on Thursday. Police said their thoughts were with the family of the missing man, and thanked the members of the public for their “overwhelming support.”
There had been a possible sighting of Bench in the Whangārei CBD area about 7am on Thursday. Genna Gillispie, who lives next door to Bench, earlier told
Stuffhe had left his house about 8pm. She does not know where he had intended to go, but said she believed he had dementia. “There was a helicopter up earlier today looking for him,” she said on Friday. “We have had some people come and look over the area again as well as sniffer dogs earlier on Thursday, but we’ve had no luck so far.” Any other information or possible sightings can be reported to Police on 105, quoting file number 210708/9824.
Melanie Earley13:35, Jul 09 2021
NZ POLICE/Supplied
Brian Bench, 72, was reported missing on Wednesday night.
Whangārei residents have been asked to check their backyards as the search for a man missing since Wednesday continues. Brian Bench, 72, was reported missing to Northland police after last being at an address on Memorial Drive, near Riverside Drive, on Wednesday night. Genna Gillispie, who lives next door to Bench, said he had left his house about 8pm. She does not know where he had intended to go, but said she believes he has dementia. “There was a helicopter up earlier today looking for him,” she said on Friday.