The family of a 15-year-old Arorangi boy who has been missing for a week is pleading for support from the community to bring him back home safely.

Allan Murare, who left home on the morning of Wednesday, November 8, at around 5am, was still missing when this edition went to print last night.

Cook Islands Police issued a public appeal yesterday afternoon for information concerning the whereabouts of the missing teenager, a Tereora College student.

“If anyone has seen him or knows where he may be, please call 22499 or drop by the Police National Headquarters. Police have had no confirmed sightings of the teenager since he was reported missing from home last Wednesday.”

Police spokesperson Trevor Pitt told Cook Islands News that Murare was in breach of curfew conditions. The 7am to 7pm curfew conditions were imposed following his last disappearance.

“Allan was under court-ordered curfew,” Pitt said.

There was a reported sighting on Wednesday afternoon after police received a complaint about a youth being unlawfully found in Titikaveka. He was last seen wearing a black jumper and his black school shorts

A family member, Kori Raumea, whose partner is Murare’s grandmother, said they were concerned about the teenager’s whereabouts.

“This is not the first time this has happened, but it’s going into a week now since he went missing, and we are all concerned about it,” Raumea told this newspaper yesterday.

“We just want him back home safe. His grandmother can’t sleep at night, and we are worried that anything could happen to him, and that’s the scary part.”

Raumea said they have exhausted all options in their search around the island and have been to sites where he was previously found after going missing.

“We went to Nikao Social Centre, Nikao backroad, and all other places, but nothing so far. My thinking is that he’s somewhere by himself, and it’s seven days now since he has been missing, and we just want him back.

“We have received information from people, including some reported sightings, but nothing concrete has come so far.”

Raumea said Murare had been under court-ordered curfew since April this year, and police paid regular visits to ensure he was home during those times.

“The police have been to my place twice every night since April to check on him, that’s 14 times a week and over 50 a month, to make sure he is there.

“That morning (Wednesday) when we woke up around 5am, we realised he was missing from home.”

Raumea, who has been looking after Murare for 9-10 years, said he was a “very smart boy at school, and he must have got carried away”.

“We have received a few text messages with information, but with no luck at this stage. We thank the public for the information they have provided and ask them to contact us should they have any information about his whereabouts. Please contact phone number 52236 for Kori or Teetu on 81126.”