Update: Missing Fargo man found safe in Lakes Country 12+ hours later

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - More than 12 hours after first going missing, an 88-year-old Fargo man is back at home safe after being found early Wednesday morning in Lakes Country.

Authorities say 88-year-old Alfred VonBank was last seen by family members on Tuesday, Dec. 6 around 4 p.m.

When the missing person report came across Fargo Police’s desk tuesday, it was a delayed report meaning 88-year-old had already been gone for a few hours.

“He leaves in a vehicle; He could be in the cities in four hours, right?” Officer Jesseca White said.

Officers like White hit the ground running by flagging other agencies near and far to be on the look out and pushed an alert on social media.

“More times than none, information that we get from the public adds to our resources,” White said.

Since VonBank was believed to be in a car, White says drones, K9s and foot search teams weren’t assembled, but she says those resources were at their fingertips if needed.

White says the department applied for a silver alert to be sent out by the state, but says that process does take some time. White says thankfully, VonBank was found in Becker County before that alert was pushed out.

“I was extremely relieved when I came to work today and found out he was safe,” she said.

FPD says VonBank was pulled over in Dilworth before his information was blasted out, but authorities say information VonBank shared during that stop lead to him being found.

“They had gotten intel that he was heading to the lake area. We alerted Becker County and they were actually able to find him through that information,” White said.

If your loved one goes missing, police say it’s important to tell officers about that person’s daily routines and people they spend time with, as well as give them an updated photo to officers and an accurate description of what they were last wearing to help bring them home as quickly as possible.

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