A 71-year-old Littleton man has been missing for more than a week, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is now asking the public to help track down his vehicle. Mark Steers was last seen on September 6 in the 11500 block of Westlake Drive in Littleton, and law enforcement says he suffers from a mood disorder and may be confused.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued an Endangered Missing Alert for Steers, according to a post from CBI
on Tuesday. Steers is described as a white male standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 230 pounds, with grey and blue features, and he is believed to be traveling in a white 2023 Ford Ranger bearing Colorado license plate CQYM48. Law enforcement says it is concerned for his safety. This type of alert is issued when a missing person is determined to be facing evident safety risks but doesn't meet the statutory requirements for an AMBER Alert, Missing Senior Citizen Alert, or Developmental Disabilities Alert, according to the
Colorado Bureau of Investigation
.
Colorado's statutory Missing Senior Citizen Alert, sometimes known as a Silver Alert, requires that a missing person be at least 60 years old, missing within Colorado, and verified by law enforcement to suffer from an impaired mental condition posing a credible threat to their safety, per EveryCRSReport. The statutory requirements for Missing Senior Citizen Alerts and Endangered Missing Alerts differ. When a vehicle is involved, as it is in Steers's case, the alert also triggers coordination with the Colorado Department of Transportation to post details on highway Variable Message Signs, and CBI distributes the notification to media outlets statewide.
How the Search Is Being Coordinated
Anyone who sees Steers or his vehicle is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office directly at 303-980-7300. That non-emergency line is answered by Jeffcom 911, a consolidated dispatch center established in 2018 that serves 29 regional police, fire, and emergency medical agencies, according to Jeffcom 911. An Aurora Police Department directive describes an entry process for missing endangered adults into the National Crime Information Center and Colorado Crime Information Center databases, per PowerDMS.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office also operates a Victim Services Unit within its Criminal Investigations Division, which provides 24-hour crisis-intervention support for families during traumatic events, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
A Pattern of Wandering Cases in South Jeffco
Steers's disappearance follows other missing senior cases handled by South Jefferson County deputies in recent weeks. Hoodline previously reported on an 83-year-old man found safe after vanishing from West Cooper Place. Other missing-person cases have also been reported in the area.
National data helps explain why these cases keep surfacing in the area. Six in 10 people living with cognitive decline or memory impairment will wander away from home at least once during their illness, often more than once, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Older adults with cognitive decline may wander from familiar surroundings. Caregivers of a missing adult with cognitive or mental health impairments can contact emergency services and identify the person as a vulnerable adult.
As of now, Steers remains missing more than a week after he was last seen in Littleton. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or the whereabouts of his white Ford Ranger is urged to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office or dial 911.
