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Search continues for missing Whitby man

ABOVE: Durham police are on the hunt for a Whitby man missing since Monday morning. Global’s Mark Carcasole has the latest on the search. 

TORONTO – Durham police have launched an extensive search for a missing Whitby man last seen Monday morning.

Police say 52-year-old Jeffrey Boucher, a teacher at Bowmanville High School and avid runner, never showed up to work after he went for his routine run between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. Monday.

He wasn’t seen leaving his home for his regular run Monday, police said, but investigators are assuming he went running because it’s part of his morning routine.

“We’re trying to find some evidence about what he was doing and where he was going,” Durham Regional Police Sgt. Nancy Van Rooy said at a press conference Tuesday.

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His belongings and car were located at his home.

Boucher is described as white, six feet tall, 180 pounds with grey and white short hair.

Aerial footage: Durham police continue search for missing Whitby man

Bettina Boucher, Jeffrey’s 17-year-old daughter, stayed home from school Tuesday to help with the search.

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“I just wanted to see if there was anything more I could do to help. I just wanted to see if there was anything new,” she said. “I’m trying to stay positive. I try not to let things get to me too much but its hard sometimes.”

She spent three hours searching for her father on Monday. He’s gone running every day for the last 20 years she said and she knows his running route but she couldn’t find anything.

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“It’s been every day for over 20 years and it’s just weird that yesterday is the day that something happened. It’s just horrible,” she said.

Boucher’s habits were well known to the people close to him. His daughter’s friends and a neighbour down the street from the Boucher home told Global News that he was always active, either running or biking and that he loved sports

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Police have launched an extensive search for the 52-year-old teacher, rerouting manpower, bringing in auxiliary officers, K9 teams and a heat-seeking helicopter.

Boucher was an avid runner and is able to cover 10 to 15 kilometres within an hour, Sgt. Van Rooy said. As a result, the police are focusing their search within a 10-15 kilometre radius of his home in Whitby.

“We are scouring all neighbourhoods, all park areas, all residential, commercial, conservation areas in our efforts,” Sgt. Van Rooy said.

The 284 hectare Heber Down Conservation Area near Country Lane and Lyndebrook Road falls within that radius.

There’s currently no reason to suspect foul play, Van Rooy said.

Police are requesting homeowners in the area to check their properties for any sign of the missing man.

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A command post has been set up near his family home near Brock Street and Taunton Road.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact police.

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