Billboards being set up to help locate missing 11-year-old Burnaby boy

The Burnaby RCMP says it is setting up billboards to help locate a missing boy.

Beginning Friday, the billboards featuring the image of 11-year-old Kai Pavlovic will be put up in several locations in the Lower Mainland and throughout B.C..

Cpl. Laura Hirst, media relations officer, says the signs are just one of the methods police are using to get the word out about the missing boy.

“We want everyone to be on the lookout for Kai,” said Hirst.

“Our investigators are working tirelessly to locate him, and we are asking for the public’s help as part of that ongoing effort.”

Police are also issuing a Serbian-language news release.

“Through our investigation, we’ve learned Kai’s family has close connections in the Serbian community,” said Hirst. “We want to ensure our message about Kai being missing reaches as many people as possible.”

Mounties say they first received a request for a well-being check for the boy on Sept. 26. They were not able to locate him, and they say they have been searching for him ever since.

On Oct. 9, police said they believed Kai was staying with a caretaker, whom they are trying to identify. As well, they said they believed members of the community may be interacting with Kai as part of his daily routine.

“In particular, we want to speak to any adults or parents whose children have been participating in playdates, sports, and/or extracurricular activities with Kai,” the Burnaby RCMP said last week.

Kai is described as being 5 feet tall with a thin build and brown hair.

Police say an Amber Alert was not activated in this case because it does not meet the criteria for issuing one.

“Amber Alerts are activated in cases where an abduction has been confirmed and there is believed to be imminent danger to the child,” the RCMP said earlier this month.

Anyone with information about Kai’s whereabouts is asked to call the Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999.