LARGO, Fla. — The search continues for an 87-year-old Largo man with dementia who has been missing since Dec 12. Petro Kuqo was last seen walking out of his apartment complex, and police are asking for the public's help in finding him.
Kuqo disappeared from The Pointe at Clearwater apartments on Friday morning around 9 a.m. while wearing his pajamas - a gray shirt, dark gray sweatpants, and black shoes. His granddaughter, Elena Mita, said he left without his cellphone and wallet, which contained an AirTag for tracking his location.
"He had gotten up and had his coffee and while everyone else was still sleeping, he just walked out in his pajamas with no wallet or anything, which is really not normal," Mita said.
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The search has intensified as concerns grow with each passing day. Kuqo, who is Albanian and doesn't speak English, moved to the area from Greece just over two weeks ago.
"We're definitely like getting worried and worried the more time passes," Mita said.
Largo Police Chief Mike Loux said the department has limited surveillance footage showing which direction Kuqo was heading when he left the complex.
"When you have a missing person, it's all a guessing game on where they could be," Loux said.
The search involves both ground teams and aerial support.
A local nonprofit organization of private investigators called We Are the Essentials, which specializes in finding missing people, has joined the effort.
Amanda Reece, vice president of We Are the Essentials, said the organization has experience locating people with memory loss issues.
"We tell people if you're out searching, call out his name, stop, take a moment, listen. Could make a sound, may not be able to communicate verbally, so listen," Reece said.
Reece noted that people with dementia are often found within a mile radius of where they went missing.
Despite challenges including colder nighttime temperatures and a nearby major highway, Chief Loux remains hopeful about finding Kuqo.
"We're actually optimistic - we haven't found anything bad at this point, so it looks good," Loux said.
Kuqo is described as approximately 5-foot-3 and 165 pounds with brown eyes and gray hair. Because of his unfamiliarity with the area, Mita said he could be anywhere in Pinellas County.
"I encourage everyone, even if you're not in Largo or Clearwater, directly to still check your ring cameras, still keep an eye out because there is some possibility if he is not in this direct area - he could be anywhere in Pinellas county," Mita said.
Police and family members are asking residents to review any surveillance or doorbell cameras, especially footage from the days and times when he was last seen. If you believe you may have seen him, or if something stands out to you, Largo police wants to hear from you.
You can call the Largo Police Department at 727-587-6730.
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