The disappearance of 19-year-old Lucas Cochrane in Whitianga has left the small Coromandel community reeling.
About 30 search specialists are helping to find the Auckland teen, who was last seen at an event at the Whitianga Fire Station just before midnight on September 24.
"It rocks a small place like this, everybody's shocked, we think 'what if it was one of our own?'" owner of Espy cafe, Bev Wood says.
Family and friends of Mr Cochrane visited the cafe; on Monday afternoon, putting up posters and talking to people, Ms Wood says.
"We all hope he's found safe and well. I've got young staff around the same age, it's rocked them and it's made them aware of keeping safe and in touch."
She says local businesses like hers are doing all they can to help, amidst the busy start of the school holiday season.
Mr Cochrane is described as European, 182cm tall and of medium build with short sandy coloured hair.
When he was last seen, he was wearing a black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, black peaked cap and white Nike shoes with red and blue on them.
His parents, family and friends are helping in the search. They're searching properties, farms, small pockets of bush, roadways and waterways, police say.
Police say they're grateful to local people for providing home baking and other refreshments to everyone involved in the effort to find Mr Cochrane.
Anyone who has information about Mr Cochrane's whereabouts is asked to contact Police immediately on 111.
Newshub.
