Police appeal for CCTV and dashcam footage in Te Aroha search
The Waikato police are renewing their appeal for CCTV and dashcam footage from Te Aroha locals as concerns grow for the whereabouts of a missing man. Louis, a 44-year-old man last seen on November 13 around 10am, had been described as heading toward the area around Mount Te Aroha before he vanished.
Detectives and search teams have been reviewing nearby streets, tracks, and public spaces since Louis was reported missing. The investigation is focusing on sightings and any movement around the base of Mount Te Aroha, with officers asking residents and visitors who were in the area at the relevant time to check their surveillance devices (including neighbourhood cameras, car dashcams, and ringing doorbell cameras) for any footage that may capture Louis or his direction of travel.
Authorities say every piece of footage could be crucial for building a timeline in the days immediately after he disappeared. While the specific route Louis might have taken remains unclear, investigators are particularly interested in footage from the morning of November 13 as well as any late-night or early-morning recordings around the base of the mountain.
Louis is described as tall with an average build. Details about his clothing or other distinguishing features have not been released publicly to protect his privacy and to avoid compromising the investigation. Police stress that the information they are seeking is comparative to what a local resident may have captured in the ordinary course of daily life—nothing sensational, just a normal, everyday recording that could help locate him.
How the public can help
Residents of Te Aroha and the surrounding district are urged to review any footage they may have from the relevant period. If you have relevant video or dashcam footage, you should contact the Waikato Police or use the dedicated tip line. When supplying footage, please provide the date, time, location, and any descriptions of people or vehicles that appear in the clip, even if they seem incidental.
Anyone who may have spoken with Louis or who saw someone matching his description in the vicinity of Mount Te Aroha on or after November 13 should also come forward. Information can be provided anonymously if preferred. The police will assess all tips and footage to determine if it contributes to locating Louis or clarifying his movements in the lead-up to his disappearance.
What investigators are doing now
Alongside reviewing CCTV and dashcam footage, officers are carrying out ground searches, coordinating with search and rescue teams, and maintaining contact with Louis’s family. The inquiry team is prioritising safety in the area around Mount Te Aroha and collaborating with local volunteers to ensure no possible location is overlooked.
Authorities confirm that the public’s help is a vital part of the search. If you think you have information that could assist, please contact the Waikato Police or the dedicated missing person line. Even seemingly minor details can provide essential context for investigators.
Support for Louis’s family
Missing person cases are emotionally challenging for families and friends. The police encourage compassion and patience from the public while investigators work to locate Louis. Updates will be shared as new information becomes available, and the public is asked to remain vigilant and to report anything that could relate to his whereabouts.
