A photo posted on Instagram may be a break in the case of John Beck, a 73-year-old Alameda man who was reported missing last week.
His family and federal agents want to know where he is. Beck's family is now focusing the search on the coastal trails near San Francisco's Sutro Baths after a photo of the missing man walking in the same area surfaced on Instagram.
"He has on his floppy hat, he's carrying his little file folder that he keeps all his papers in," daughter Laura Beck said. "This gives us something to work with. We are grasping at straws trying to figure out what happened, and this is the first real lead."
The photo was taken last Tuesday, three hours after Beck was dropped off in Oakland for an appointment he never showed up to. Surveillance cameras captured him boarding a San Francisco-bound train at about 9 a.m.
"The new clue is amazing to find it," son-in-law Jonas Madden-Conner said. "We had a theory he came out here based on his Google search history, but nothing was confirmed."
Beck owes $113 million for his part in a get-rich scam. The federal government said he deceived thousands of consumers.
Beck's family does not know his problems with the federal government is tied to his disappearance and said they just want him back.
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"Dad we miss you, we love you," Laura Beck said. "We just want you to come home. Whatever it is, we'll work it out. We love you."
Beck is described as a white man with glasses standing 5 feet 11 inches tall. He was last seen wearing navy blue pants with green and blue plaid shirt.
Beck's family has also hired a private investigator to help find him.
Anyone with information about Beck's whereabouts is asked to call the Alameda Police Department at 510-337-8340.
