The search for a Whitby man who went missing on Monday morning continues, with police saying they don't have any conclusive evidence to Jeffery Boucher's whereabouts.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Durham Regional Police Sgt. Nancy van Rooy said police "continue to investigate all areas believed to be known as running routes for Mr. Boucher" as the search entered its third day.
Earlier Wednesday, questions were raised about whether Boucher went missing for a short period Sunday evening. But police said this afternoon that while the high-school teacher did step out Sunday evening for a run, he eventually returned home.
"In the case of Sunday evening, which was Jan. 12, he stepped out for a run and he was gone for longer than expected by his family; nonetheless he did return home. He was not reported missing to us," Rooy said.
Police are proceeding on information that he left for his usual morning run on Monday morning -- the day Boucher was reported missing to them by his wife.
Although no one witnessed Boucher leave the house Monday morning, relatives of the 52-year-old have said he likely left for his daily run at approximately 6 a.m. as part of his morning routine.
"There was some residential surveillance located in the neighbourhood," Staff Sgt. Steve Jones told reporters. "It's not as high quality as what you'd get in a commercial video, but there are pictures of what looks like a male jogger at that time in the morning."
After he failed to return, Boucher was reported missing at 8:30 a.m.
Kawartha Pine Ridge School Board clarified reports surrounding an unusually large sum of money found in Boucher's desk at school last week, saying the money found was for a ski trip.
The sum of money found in Boucher's desk, $3,500, was meant for a ski trip, Rusty Hick, director of education of the board, told CP24 in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon.
Police added there is no "electronic footprint from Mr. Boucher that might indicate that there is any sort of activity at the hands of Mr. Boucher."
Investigators said Wednesday they were worried about Boucher’s well-being, as they fear he has been exposed to cold temperatures for more than 48 hours and may be injured. The roads and trails were icy the morning Boucher is said to have disappeared.
"It's just so confusing," Boucher's wife Kristen told CTV Toronto on Tuesday. "Honestly the only safe place to run is on the road. And if he'd been on the road, someone would have found him by now."
The working theory is that the jogger may have slipped on the ice and fell into a ditch, or was hit by a car, police have said.
Boucher's mother, Mary, said she's hopeful her son will come home.
"It's a mystery why they can't find him. My hope is he's gone somewhere, he's never done it before, and that he will come home," Mary told CTV Kitchener in an interview Wednesday.
The last time Mary saw her son was Sunday morning. She describes her son as very quiet, private but reliable.
"He would often run from the chalet but he always came back in about 40 minutes. He was just like clockwork, very scheduled, very dependable." She said.
She said he's "always in bed before 10 p.m., always," and that why he was gone for 2.5 hours on Sunday is a "mystery" to her.
Police had launched a full-scale search on Tuesday, which continued through the night and into Wednesday. They're using infrared sensors, canine units, helicopters and ATVs. Officers went door-to-door in Boucher’s neighbourhood, hoping someone saw something or captured images of the missing man via home-security video.
Police are also asking residents of Whitby to search their properties for any evidence that Boucher may have been there.
Police said they were focusing Wednesday's search efforts on the area north of a command post set up near Taunton Road and Brock Street.
Joggers in the area plan to run some of Boucher's known routes to search for signs of the missing man.
Boucher, described as an experienced runner, normally departs for his runs at about 6 a.m. and returns home within the hour after running up to 15 kilometres. His car and cellphone were still at home and he failed to show up for work at Bowmanville High School.
Boucher is described as white, six feet tall, 180 pounds with short grey and white hair. Relatives say he is likely wearing a dark running jacket and dark pants.
Police said they have not had many leads but they do not suspect foul play.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 1-888-579-1520 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
With files from CTV Toronto's John Musselman
