The family of a man missing in Waikato have hired a helicopter and launched their own search party.
Stephen Brown, 29, was last seen in Hamilton on Friday and it's believed he could be anywhere in Waikato, Raglan, Taranaki or Ohope.
Close friend Steffi McBride says police haven't got phone or bank records yet to narrow down the search, leaving her and the family stressed.
Brown had been meant to attend McBride's birthday weekend in Taranaki but pulled out on Saturday morning.
"[He said] he wasn't feeling up to it and he was going to have a chill one in Raglan, see his family," McBride explained. "And so we thought he was in Raglan, and then it turns out he didn't actually see anyone in Raglan, we can't figure out what he was doing over that period."
Brown had answered the phone when his brother Travis called him on Sunday morning, telling him he was on his way down to Taranaki for McBride's birthday. But he never told her that, so they weren't expecting him.
"We didn't realise he was missing until Tuesday morning, with it being a long weekend, when his brother noticed his work car was there and it was time for work. He wasn't home."
She says the family have hired a private helicopter to search for him - but it's a huge area.
"Brothers Travis and Jono are on a chopper searching by the roadside between Raglan and Mt Taranaki looking for his car."
People in Waikato and Taranaki are being urged to keep an eye out for Brown's white 1990s Toyota Carib station wagon.
Police told Newshub they are still following lines of inquiry to locate Brown.
"We applaud the family's efforts to assist in the search and have provided them information from our own investigation to help aid that search," a spokesperson said.
"We urge anyone with information about Stephen's whereabouts to call 105 and quote the file number 210608/5097."
