Why would police ask for the public's help in finding a truck they believe might be connected to Amber's disappearance two months after it happened? Amber's father, Maurice Dubois, said it was because at first they did not want to tip off the driver. "You would rather find it on your own that have him be aware via all the news agencies that his vehicle is being looked for." But now, police don't know any more about the driver of the suspicious truck than they did on February 13. Lt. Bob Benton of the Escondido Police Department said they've identified every vehicle on every surveillance video from the time Amber went missing, except this mystery truck in the picture below.  The maroon or burgundy-colored pickup was driven through a bus maintenance yard at Escondido High School, where 14-year-old Amber Dubois attended, shortly after 7 a.m. Feb. 13, minutes before she went missing, according to police. The truck parked in the maintenance yard for three minutes, no one got in or out of it, and then it drove away. Benton said the truck has a distinctive feature, "What makes this truck unique is the chrome running boards on the bottom and the chrome rails at the top of the bed." "Also, it appears from the video the tailgate is either missing or (modified) to accommodate a fifth-wheel trailer," the lieutenant said. "There is no further information such as license-plate or driver description." No parents, construction workers or school employees remember ever seeing the truck before or after Amber's disappearance. Investigators have generated no solid leads about what has become of the girl. "Its been a very, very difficult case" Benton said.
Weekend Search Party
Numerous searches of the area by groups of volunteers have likewise found no sign of where she might have gone. But, this weekend they will give it another go. Saturday and Sunday morning, Maurice Dubois will lead search parties leaving from 755 N. Quince St. in Escondido--Amber's search center. Searchers must be 18 years old and bring a valid, government issued ID. Dubois hopes this new potential lead will bring back some public attention on Amber. "I've had people say to me, I thought she was found because I haven't seen her on the news the last couple weeks" he said. "There's a small glimmer of hope...Its difficult going over two months and having almost no leads" Dubois continued. Dubois said he disagrees with media reports that the police haven't done enough. "My opinion is they've done the best they can with the resources they have." He revealed that neither he or Amber's mother have been able to work one day since she disappeared more than two months ago. "You try to work on other things but your mind can't focus on anything other than the fact that you can't find Amber" His message to his daughter? "Don't lose faith sweetheart, we'll find you!" Police asked anyone with information about the vehicle or any other aspect of the case to call (760) 743-TIPS. Callers may remain anonymous. You can also visit the family's website at www.bringamberhome.com
Candlelight Vigil
One month after a teen vanished in Escondido, friends and volunteers held a candlelight vigil for 14-year-old Amber Dubois. After investigating about 100 tips, detectives still have no solid leads. Amber's family says she would never run away but police can't find any evidence of foul play. On the one month anniversary, Amber's family was worried about volunteers losing interest in searching for the missing teen. They've released more photos of Amber and passed out blue ribbons in hopes of keeping Amber in people's thoughts as time goes by. Searches continue every weekend. If you would like to join in, check in Saturday morning at the Amber Dubois Search Center, located at 755 N Quince Street in Escondido between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Volunteers must be 18-years-old and wear comfortable clothes. Authorities asked anyone with information on the missing teenager's possible whereabouts to call (760) 743-TIPS.
Fewer search volunteers Saturday
The number of volunteers looking for a Amber Dubois is waning as the 14-year-old girl passed the one-month-missing mark.
Maurice Dubois, the girl's father, said less than 100 volunteers showed up Saturday at the downtown Escondido makeshift command center to hand out fliers and search for his only child.
Last Saturday, there were 322 volunteers.
Amber's disappearance also has taken a toll on her family, he said. The girl's five-year-old, half-sister is in counseling and Amber's mother struggles every day, he said. Her parents, who are divorced, haven't worked since Amber disappeared on Feb. 13.
Escondido Police have not released any leads on the case. Investigators could not be reached for comment.
Amber was last seen just 300 yards from Escondido High School as she walked to school the morning of Feb. 13.
National missing children advocates have joined in the search and Amber's story has been featured nationwide. There's $55,000 reward for anyone with information leading to her safe return and an additional $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible for her disappearance.
Dubois family members and close friends have taken and passed polygraph tests. Any computer that Amber may have used has been scoured by the FBI, and her father says she didn't have a MySpace account and there was no evidence that she chatted with any strangers online.
Volunteers are thanked, but also watched, he said. They're screened carefully to make sure they had nothing to do with her disappearance and are looking for information about the investigation, Dubois said.
"I try to spend most of my focus on thanking everyone,'' he said. "But we're also making sure there aren't any volunteers who are asking inappropriate questions or who are overly anxious.''
A search is scheduled every day, but investigators don't disclose where they are sending people to look. The command center houses a closed-off room with maps marked with search areas.
Since Amber's disappearance was so mysterious, there is chance the girl was abducted by someone she knew, Dubois said.
Police and Amber's father have no strong theories on how she disappeared.
The Dubois' hired a private detective, Bill Garcia, but he isn't on the payroll anymore since Klaas Kids Foundation joined in the search and duplicated Garcia's efforts.
Dubois said sometimes it's a good thing that investigators don't tell the family anything, even though it's frustrating.
"It's a two-fold thing,'' he said. "By us not knowing or hearing the updates, we don't have a roller coaster of emotion. We don't start getting all the false hope. I guess it keeps us even keel, but it's hard. We don't know if there is any progress.''
Dubois said he can't imagine how anyone could have abducted her and forced her into vehicle so close to the school and in front of other students.
"I find that hard to believe,'' Dubois said. "But if that means it's someone she knows, then who?''
Dubois said there's no chance that Amber skipped school that day. She had a perfect attendance and bragged to friends that she could keep that record for the whole school year.
She also was very excited about putting a deposit on a lamb that day as part of an agricultural project. Amber planned to become an animal behavior scientist when she grew up, according to her father.
Reward Increased
The search continues for Amber Dubois, the 14-year old Escondido high school student who's been missing for 18 days. Wednesday night, the reward for information leading to her discovery was raised to $60,000. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department search team is looking for clues to Amber's disappearance in a rugged area off Rincon Road in Escondido. The area they searched Wednesday is called Sunrise Mountain. That follows Tuesday night's search of Daily Ranch. This comes after a resident reported suspicious activity in the area. Although missing for more than three weeks, Sergeant Don Parker remains confident that Amber will be found. "Instead of looking for a body, we like to look for a live person," explained Parker. "We're still doing that." The Klass Kids Foundation is now part of the search efforts. Marc Klass will search areas that have yet to be explored in Escondido. Marc Klass' daughter, Polly, was kidnapped and murdered in 1993. "Probably the most important thing you can tell the family is that they have to eat and that they have to rest and that they have to try to hold onto their sanity," said Klass. The Klass Kids Foundation will begin searching the area on Saturday. They are using the Laura Recovery Center, the same group that helped find Danielle van Dam.
Community Support
Amber has not seen since she walked to school in Escondido on Friday, February 13th. Amber's family thinks all evidence points toward Amber planning to arrive at school on Friday, February 13th. They say she was carrying Valentine's Day gifts for her friends and a $200 check for a deposit on a lamb she planned to raise as part of her school's Future Farmer's program. The family also revealed Amber sent four text messages to her grandmother before leaving the house that morning for the roughly mile-long walk to school. Amber was last seen by two family friends only about 300 yards from the school's gate. Police interviewed hundreds of students at Amber's high school, according to published reports that also say the girl's family members have been given polygraph tests. Escondido police asked for the public's help in finding a young man who offered rides to girls as they walk home from school in Escondido's Oak Hill neighborhood. That's about three miles from Amber's school. Police have not said if they see a possible connection between the two cases. For more on the Oak Hill story, click here. The FBI is assisting police in the investigation. Amber's family also hired a private detective. Amber's mother led hundreds on a search for Amber through local mountains, Many in the community joined Carrie to help her pass out more than 40,000 fliers she printed regarding Amber's disappearance, going door to door to as many of Escondido's 80,000 homes as possible. A link to download copies of the flier is above on the right.
Among the volunteers passing out fliers were La Mesa resident Celeste Dopp.
"I've never met (Amber). I've never even been to Escondido, this is my first time up here" she said.
But she felt obliged to donate her weekend to Amber's family. "If it were my child, I would expect everybody to be outside all day everyday until she is found."
Celeste is confident that day will come. "A girl doesn't just go missing and nobody didn't see anything, tell anybody anything. Somebody saw something! And we're going to find this girl."
New Theory
ESCONDIDO - There is another possible theory behind the disappearance of Amber Dubois. The 14-year-old girl has been missing since Friday February 13th. Amber's family and Private Investigator Bill Garcia are piecing together what they think may have happened. Their primary theory remains that Amber was abducted by a stranger while on her way to school, but now another possibility is developing. “Either someone that knew Amber or knew of Amber may have played a cruel prank on her being that is was Friday the 13th and the Valentine's day holiday,” says Garcia. According to Garcia, based on talks with Amber's friends, Escondido High School has seen its fair share of cruel and unusual pranks. Specific details on what kind of pranks were not released. “I don't feel in my heart, even though I've heard stories of it, but I don't feel in my heart that any child would hold a prank on this long,” says Amber’s father, Maurice Dubois. Dubois says from day one he's felt that Amber was abducted. Residents in San Diego County are reminded of Amber nearly everyday, but now her search is gaining National and even International attention; but Escondido will remain the primary area of search. “It was disgusting, within two miles of her school there are 29 registered sex offenders,” said Dubois. The family has launched a new 24 hour hotline. If you know anything, you can now call 1-888-55-AMBER and you can remain anonymous. You are also urged to call Escondido Police at (760) 839-4722.
Earlier Reports:
|  Missing Teen 2/27/09
Missing Escondido teenager, 14-year-old Amber Dubois, was last seen exactly two weeks ago. We're seeing her home videos for the first time.
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| Vigil for Missing Girl 2/27/09
A candlelight vigil is planned for missing Escondido teen Amber Dubois Friday night.
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| Search for Teen 2/24/09
We are learning about a new possible theroy behind the disappearance of 14-year-old Amber Dubois.
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| Missing Teen 2/19/09
Police have called off the physical search for a teenager who's been missing now for six days. But the FBI has stepped in and the family is now working with a private investigator.
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