MARIGOT--The sister of the American man reported missing by the Gendarmerie on Monday says she is hoping the public on both sides of the island, through the help of the media, will come forward with any information that might help in locating her brother.
Robert Brous (42) had been staying at La Samanna with a female companion and was last seen on Friday, January 22, but has not been heard from since. The pair checked into the hotel the day before and he rented a new dark blue four-door BMW hard-top from Prestige Auto.
According to statements from the female companion, she felt tired Thursday evening, so the pair had dinner in their hotel room. Brous said about 10:30pm that he was going out "to check out the other side" while the companion went to sleep.
"He came back to the hotel room about 6:30am to pick up some things and then left in the car," Brous's sister told The Daily Herald. "He was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the photo you published. She had taken that photo of him the night before. We don't know what he did or where he went between 10:30pm and 6:30am."
Brous's sister and her husband arrived on the island Monday to investigate his disappearance and have been meeting with authorities on both sides of the island since. They plan to leave today or Thursday. They said the investigation had started to pick up speed last week Friday when the US Consulate was notified of the disappearance.
"The rental car company and Gendarmerie are looking for the car," she said. "There have been some sightings, apparently; one with him in it, another with a local driving it, and another sighting of the car with no licence plates.
"We believe he left the hotel with the clothes he was wearing, his driving licence, the car, and either one credit card or debit card. We checked with his bank and there have been no charges or activity on that particular card in his possession since January 22. We think he had some cash on him, but he left his wallet with his passport and other credit cards in the hotel room."
Robert Brous, the youngest of seven children, had visited the island many times when his sister owned a property in Pointe Pirouette, but she sold it 15 years ago.
"As a family we were coming here often, at least up until 1996. But I don't think Robert had ever been back until now," she said.
His sister described Robert, an interior designer and bachelor who lives in Los Angeles, as "friendly, upbeat, outgoing and social," but conceded lately he had not been "at his happiest," a situation not helped by the state of the economy in the USA. He has pale skin, freckles, green eyes, long eyelashes, dull reddish hair, and is about five feet nine inches tall.
"We don't see him as someone who would go underground or live on the beach. He likes to live well, he's very clean and he likes his creature comforts. We just want the people to know his family is extremely concerned, the authorities are looking for the car, and any information we can gather will help," his sister added.
US law enforcement is not involved in the investigation at the moment. US Consul Warden for St. Martin Lloyd Tackling confirmed that both French- and Dutch-side detectives were working on this missing person case.
"There were sightings of him on January 23 and 24: in Friars Bay on the 23rd and he was spotted again on either the 24th or 25th," said Tackling. "Apparently the Gendarmes have also seen the BMW pass without plates and are looking for it."
The French side prosecutor could not be contacted for further information up to press time yesterday. Anyone who has information about the disappearance of Robert Brous can contact the Dutch-side police at tel. 542-2222, the Gendarmerie at tel. (0590) 52.30.00 or US cell phone (917) 865-7318.
http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-news/357-family-appeals-for-help-in-finding-robert-brous.html
Edit subject title: add date last seen. MB
