James Cuthbert search intensifies efforts to find missing man

There's new information on the last known whereabouts of a missing man from Head of Jeddore.

James Cuthbert, 71, has been missing since Sunday afternoon. A new confirmed sighting places him and his car at Home Depot's parking lot in Dartmouth Crossing between 1 and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Prior to that, Cuthbert was last heard from when he spoke to his wife on the telephone at the automotive desk at the Canadian Tire in Dartmouth Crossing around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, according to Cuthbert's son-in-law, Tom Martin.  

"We are working as closely as we can with investigators," he said. "We have friends and neighbours out just driving the roads, looking for Jim's vehicle."

Cuthbert drives a white Toyota Prius with the licence plate DTV 905.

Martin says police picked up the car on traffic cameras headed east on Commodore Drive after Cuthbert left Dartmouth Crossing — but that is all the family has heard at this point.

A helicopter was used Tuesday in the search for Cuthbert's vehicle.

Cuthbert "religiously" visited his 102-year-old mother every other day, said Martin. When Cuthbert missed his visit on Sunday, his family knew something was wrong. 

Halifax Regional Police say they are still trying to retrace Cuthbert's steps and are looking for any information the public might have about Cuthbert's whereabouts. 

"Personally, it's a feeling of helplessness," said Martin. 

As a former police officer, he says it's difficult to be on this side of a missing persons case.

"It's a series of a million questions and no answers. I think back to the cases I handled in the past and I don't know how these families get through it. For Jim's wife, it's like someone grabbed a piece of her heart and just ripped it out," he says.