Image Credit: RCMP Handout

By Ashley Legassic

MISSING PERSON

Three months later, no sign of missing 72-year-old Falkland man

Dec 6, 2019 | 1:41 PM

FALKLAND, B.C. — Police in the North Okanagan are asking the public for more help in the search for a 72-year-old man who’s been missing for three months.

In a news release, Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP Const. Kelly Brett says Bjorn Collnes was last seen in Falkland on Sept. 9. He was reported missing three days later after failing to return home from a scheduled trip to Kamloops.

His brown mini-van was found abandoned on Highway 97, west of Westwold.

Since Collnes went missing, police and search and rescue have conducted extensive ground and air searches of the area where his vehicle was found. The RCMP Underwater Recovery Unit also conducted a search of Monte Lake.

“We are very concerned about Mr. Collnes’ wellbeing and are asking anyone who may have any information about his disappearance to contact police,” says Brett. “Investigators are also asking for any dashcam footage that may have been captured by passing motorists, between the hours of 1:30 am, Monday, September 9, and 2:00 pm, Thursday, September 12 on Highway 97 between Falkland and the Monte Lake area.”

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Collnes is white, 72 years old, with blue eyes, brown hair, and 5’7″. He was last seen wearing a black Harley Davidson t-shirt, grey and black camouflage shorts, and brown running shoes.

Police are also still looking for a navy blue, older style mountain bike that is powered by a small motor, which was in the back of the mini-van at the time of his disappearance.

Police believe he could have left the area on the bike, but that’s unconfirmed.

Anyone with information is asked to call North Okanagan RCMP at (250) 546-3028 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477.