Suffolk County issues Silver Alert for missing East Patchogue man

Suffolk County police issued a Silver Alert for Warren Gerard, 89, of East Patchogue, after he was last seen leaving a residence at 6 Robin Drive in Middle Island in a 2002 white Nissan Frontier bearing New York license plate LSL 8452.

Gerard was described as white, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 135 pounds, with gray and white hair and a gray mustache. Detectives asked anyone who saw him or his vehicle to call 911 or Fifth Squad detectives at 631-854-8552.

The alert underscored how quickly a missing persons case involving Alzheimer’s can become dangerous. Seniors with dementia can become disoriented without warning, and even a short drive can leave them far from familiar streets, especially in a county as spread out as Suffolk.

Silver Alerts are designed to move that information fast, giving police and the public the key details needed to spot a vulnerable driver before a routine trip turns into a crisis. In this case, the vehicle description was just as important as Gerard’s physical description, because officers and neighbors were told to watch for a 2002 white Nissan Frontier with the LSL 8452 plate.

Suffolk County Police also operate a free Special Needs/Silver Alert registry that lets relatives or caregivers enter identifying information about people with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, into the department’s database. That information can help first responders identify a missing person more quickly during an emergency.

The county also uses SuffolkAlert, its official emergency alert and notification system, to send customized text, email and voice messages during emergencies. Together, the alert systems are meant to narrow the window between a disappearance and a safe recovery.

A later report said Gerard was located unharmed on April 10, 2026, ending the search after officers and residents were urged to keep watch across East Patchogue, Middle Island and surrounding Suffolk County roads.