Oct 17, 2008 1:04 pm US/Pacific
Nev. Officials: Boy Taken By Fake Cops In Danger
LAS VEGAS (AP) ―
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Cole Puffinburger, 6, was taken from his Nevada home by two men posing as police officers. The authorities have issued a nationwide alert for the boy, fearing he may be in serious danger. He is seen here in an undated photo.
Las Vegas Metro PD /CBS
Authorities have identified the "person of interest" they are looking for in the nationwide search for a 6-year-old boy kidnapped from a Las Vegas home by men posing as police officers.
Investigators in Las Vegas said Friday that they are looking for the boy's grandfather with the hope he can lead them to the child, Cole Puffinburger.
Las Vegas police Capt. Vincent Cannito said Friday that 51-year-old Clemens Fred Tinnemeyer of Las Vegas was a person of interest in the nationwide search for Cole.
Cannito wouldn't say Friday who police are looking for, or whether investigators think he's in southern Nevada or somewhere else.
Meanwhile, a nationwide Amber Alert remains in effect for the boy. Officials fear he may be in serious danger is and asking the public for help.
Cannito says Puffinburger's family were involved in the illegal drug trade.
He says the two Hispanic men who tied up the boy's mother and her boyfriend at their house Wednesday morning and abducted the boy were after "significant money and drugs." In a press conference in Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon, police described the invasion as violent.
Cannito says authorities think the grandfather was involved in drug dealing with Mexican nationals, and the boy's kidnapping was a "message."
Tinnemeyer was last seen in May and reported missing Sept. 11.
Investigators say they have had Amber Alerts issued in Nevada, California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico for the boy and are concentrating their search in southern California and Nevada.
Police aren't saying whether a ransom demand has been made.
Investigators say the parents had nothing to do with the boy's disappearance.
Investigators have talked with dozens of people about this kidnapping and are using leads from those interviews to try and track down the child.
Cole is 3-feet 11-inches tall, weighs around 48-pounds, has blonde hair and blue eyes and was wearing silver rimmed glasses. Cole was last seen wearing a black John Cena sweatshirt, dark jeans and black Vans tennis shoes.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
CBS News Interactive: Children In Danger
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