Missing Littleton Police Officer: Russians Call Off Search

The Russian search for missing Little police officer Steven Beare was called off Wednesday. The news was not unexpected as Beare's wife Tuesday wrote that was what would likely happen.

"On behalf of the loved ones of Littleton Police Officer Steven Beare and his LPD family, Chief Doug Stephens thanks those from the Littleton community and everyone around the world for their physical, financial, and emotion support during the search for Steven on Mount Elbrus," the department said in a release.

Beare, who is also a member of the Colorado National Guard and an experienced climber, had been on a trek to climb the highest peak on each continent.

He first mounted a successful climb of Mt. Kiliminjaro. Mt. Elbrus, at 15,180 feet, is in Russia and the tallest peak in Europe.

On June 16, while on a solo climb, he got caught in a blizzard. Officials say they believe he was alive at least through the next day when there was an apparent attempt to call for help on his satellite phone.

He has not been heard from since.

On Tuesday, his wife Olivia wrote on Facebook that if there were no signs of her husband on Wednesday, the Russians would be calling of the search.

"The Russian teams will be calling off their search after the day is done tomorrow," she wrote, adding that she was told that "they have searched longer and harder than they typically do. There is just too much snow and harsh weather conditions to continue.

"The mountain is so large and there are 1000s of crevasse he could have fallen into that are covered spanning 100s of square miles."

Beare has hired an experienced search and rescue climber to start an expedition that will start sometime soon. (For more information on this and other local stories, subscribe to your local Patch for breaking news alerts.)

"He is not sure how many people he will have at his disposal for searching going forward because many of them have assignments already," she writes. "We still do not have any news on the cell phone. And we do not know yet if the helicopters would be able to fly tomorrow or not.

"Life itself as I know it is looking extremely bleak."

The Colorado Police Foundation, which is raising money to help pay for the search efforts, say that the Beares have a 20-month-old son. Olivia is 12-weeks pregnant. The foundation says that they also have "three loving puppies" who miss Steve very much.

She later posted that as bleak as things are she is "not giving up until I get the actual phone call that they have found him and did not make it.

"Because that is currently NOT THE CASE I believe he is alive out there somewhere hanging on by a very very thin thread.... as am i and that is why i am just taking some time and some space. Please continue to pray I know and I feel his days are limited. I love you baby, always."

On Wednesday she thanked everyone who has shown an interest in her husband's story.

"I want to express my gratitude for the many ways my family has been helped and encouraged," she said. "These difficult times have been eased by so many acts of kindness."

Photos courtesy Colorado Police Foundation