Police continue search for missing Oak Lawn man
August 19, 2012 7:46PM
Alpha Sabbithi, 27, suffers from depression and was last seen on Sunday, according to a missing person’s alert issued by Oak Lawn police. / Oak Lawn Police Department.
Updated: August 20, 2012 5:07PM
Authorities continued to search Monday for a missing man whose car, wallet and cell phone were found early Sunday in a Cook County forest preserve near Oak Lawn.
Alpha Sabbithi, 27, suffers from depression and was last seen on Sunday, according to a missing person’s alert issued by Oak Lawn police.
Police said that about 4 a.m., they found Sabbithi’s car parked near Maple Lake at the forest preserve close to the intersection of Wolf Road and 95th Street. Inside the locked car, police discovered his cell phone, wallet and car keys, the alert said.
Oak Lawn police Division Chief Mike Kaufmann said Monday that one of his officers and police from the Cook County Sheriff’s department — which has jurisdiction — were going over the area near Maple Lake again, including pathways leading away from the lake.
Police were out on boats both on the lake and nearby Saganashkee Slough, and a police helicopter was canvassing the area.
Police on Sunday had brought in a bloodhound from the Joliet Police Department, the alert said.
After picking up Sabbithi’s scent, the dog led police to a boat launch for the Saganashkee Slough located at 107th and 104th avenues, the alert said, but Sabbithi was not found.
Police described Sabbithi, of the 4100 block of West 93rd Place, as 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds. He has brown eyes and hair.
He was last seen wearing brown cargo pants and a black T-shirt with “Hollywood” written on the front in white letters, the alert said.
Sabbithi’s brother, Victor, said Sunday night that Sabbithi recently returned from a monastery in Michigan and was acting calmer since his return.
“It was a personal thing for him,” he said of the two-week retreat.
He added that his brother, whom he last saw Saturday, was not acting unusual and did not seem disturbed about anything.
Anyone with information regarding Sabbithi’s whereabouts can contact Oak Lawn police at (708) 422-8292.
Contributing: Bob Rakow
