Family and friends in the Belle Fourche area have put out a national missing persons alert for George Bean, 76, Belle Fourche.

According to Debra Bean, Spearfish, Tuesday afternoon, her father hasn't been heard of him since the middle of last week, Wednesday, and his last communications with the family was Tuesday night.

She added that her father had been in daily communication with family members, "and this is very out of character for him."

His driving rig included a dual rear wheel pickup and a fifth wheel camper, she said.

"If he decides to go explore something he may pull off the main highway," she added.

Debra Bean said Spearfish police are handling the missing persons report locally, and anyone having more recent information should call them at 642-1300.

Frustration is part of the family's search, she said in an email after a telephone interview.

"We found out yesterday that Dad's info didn't go out on the national missing person alert," she wrote.

Problems with her father's cell phone provider for Arizona law enforcement brought a slow response that it appeared that Sunday the phone was in the Eloy, Ariz., area around 3:45 p.m.

"They sent our search and rescue but didn't find Dad," she said. "Mainly they checked out the truck stops in that area."

A court order was expected to get full records the cellular telephone with her father's telephone number.

"Please pray for God's protective hedge around our father and that he leads the search party to him today," she said. "We know something has happened to him. We're starting on day 6."