Police call off search for missing Connecticut teen

By Bianca Buono

bbuono@abc6.com

@BBuonoABC6

The search for a missing Connecticut teen is off. Eighteen-year-old Todd Allen went missing a week ago and after days of extensive searching, police have come up empty handed.

Allen was last seen on Monday after taking off on his dirt bike.

Despite police calling off the official search, several volunteers continue to search on their own.

"There’s a lot of woods. I went out the other day and searched for four hours,” said Travis Kaiser who was out searching on Monday.

Kaiser was devastated to hear police will no longer be scouring the woods. Kaiser has never met Allen but has been assisting in the search for days.

"I have a daughter she’s just 1 I don’t know how I would feel if she just went missing I wouldn’t cancel any searches or anything I’d just keep going,” Kaiser said.

He’s not alone. Seven thousand people have joined the Facebook group "Search For T.J." where volunteers are coordinating individual searches. Kaiser is taking on Arcadia Management Area in Exeter.

"Its great everybody’s trying and trying and trying to find this kid,” said Kaiser.

Arcadia is the same wooded area Rhode Islanders searched for missing hiker Patti Pendleton last month. The vast area has dozens of trails with little signage so Kaiser is looking for a small sign of hope.

"I’ll be going out there looking for leaves that are pushed up or something like that or broken branches or dirt bike tracks around,” said Kaiser.

Connecticut State Police say they won’t launch another search unless they receive new information.

© WLNE-TV 2016