Anyone with information on the whereabouts of James Yoblonski is asked to contact the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office at 608-355-4495.
The father of a 13-year Wisconsin teen who disappeared more than a month ago in a possible attempt to survive “off the grid” plans to mortgage off his home in order to offer a $10,000 cash reward for his son's safe return, according to reports.
James Yoblonski has been missing for nearly six weeks and his father, William, recently announced he is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to finding his son, according to New York Post.
“The $10,000 reward is only if he’s found,” Yoblonski told WiscNews. “In the last three weeks, we haven’t gotten any tips or anything.”
William said he last saw his son the night before he was reported missing on June 12. James allegedly took his family’s vehicle and a ping of a cellphone, which authorities say belonged to the father, led the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office to search around Baraboo and Devil’s Lake State Park on both sides of Highway 12, WiscNews reported.
On June 12, a deputy found the family’s Chrysler van abandoned on the side of Highway 12, north of Groth Road in the town of Sumpter, about 4:45 a.m. about three hours before the concerned dad reported his son missing, according to court records, WiscNews reported.
That same day, sheriff’s deputies using police dogs discovered a makeshift campsite they believe James used in the area where the cellphone ping came from, according to WiscNews.
“That tells me he went in there, set that camp up, and came out the same way he went in,” William told WiscNews. “As much as they searched, they should have found some evidence of him being in there, and they found nothing.
Sauk County Sheriff Lt. Steven Schram told WiscNews that authorities believe the teen had been trying to survive “off the grid” before he disappeared.
Authorities say James might have two survival guidebooks with him that his father had bought him, as well as a firearm, according to News 3 LV.
“He is a smart kid," his father told WKOW. "This is uncalled for, to do something like this and not to talk to anybody about it."
The father also told WiscNews he feels James may have been picked up by someone.
Police have given no new updates since they first posted about James’ disappearance a month ago on Facebook.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of James Yoblonski is asked to contact the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office at 608-355-4495.
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