Search for backpacker in WA scaled down

A search for a German backpacker missing for 10 days in Western Australia's
southwest is being scaled back.
Jan-Christian Bielenberg, 20, was last seen on July 30 at the Dolphin Retreat Hostel
and Lodge in Bunbury, about 180km south of Perth.
He had been in Bunbury since June and had a return flight to Germany booked on
August 13, with his visa due to expire.
His distraught parents Wilhelm and Ursula Bielenberg, who travelled to Bunbury from
Germany, pleaded for information on Friday.
But with a string of unconfirmed sightings from Geraldton in the north of WA to
Dunsborough in the south, police scaled back their search on Sunday.
Police spokesman Sergeant Greg Lambert said the search was likely to be called off.
"I'd say the search would be called off," Sgt Lambert said. "The search area has
become too large and there's been no new information."
A report in News Ltd's The Sunday Times said Mr Bielenberg had become withdrawn from
friends after being rejected by a Japanese woman the night before he disappeared.
Security footage filmed at the hostel on the night Mr Bielenberg vanished shows him
leaving the rear of the hostel about 2.20am (WST) and returning to find the door to
his room locked.
He tried to open the door before going to the lounge area, where he sat down and
sent a text message on his mobile phone, police said.
He left the hotel through the front door at 3.43am and has not been sighted since.
Police have Mr Bielenberg's passport and say he has not touched his bank account.
At the time he disappeared he was wearing a brown hooded jumper, a dark brown peak
cap, black boxer shorts and black socks.
Police say he may now be wearing cargo pants and a pair of Dunlop Volley shoes,
which were missing from his baggage.
He is described as being 190cm tall, of medium/muscular build, with short light
brown hair and brown eyes.