Family concerned about Belmont man who hasn't returned home

A Belmont man whose car was found abandoned in Union County is missing, according to his family.

Andrew "Andy" Tench, 31, was last seen Sunday night, when he went out to celebrate his birthday, which was Monday, according to his sister, Natasha Newman.

On Monday morning, Tench's mother tried to call him, but he didn't answer the phone.

Eventually, the phone began going to straight to voicemail instead of ringing, Newman said.

Late Monday night at around 10:30 p.m., Union County law enforcement found Tench's gold 2010 Hyundai Electra on U.S. 74 west near Bonanza Road. Hours later, at around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, N.C. Highway Patrol found Tench's car several miles away on U.S. 74 near Gray Fox Road in the Monroe area. It was empty, but the hazard lights were on, Newman said. Inside the car were two receipts for purchases that were made Monday morning.

"It's almost like he had come to Union County for something, and he was headed back west like he was trying to come home," Newman said. "So we don't know if somebody has picked him up. We don't know what's going on."

Newman said that Tench normally checks in on his cats.

"He's got a couple cats, and those cats are like his kids. Even whenever he was at work, he would call my mom and say, 'Hey, let the cats out of the room. Can you feed them?'" she said. "The only way he wouldn't be here is if he couldn't. There's something somewhere keeping him from coming home."

Tench's family asks that anyone who sees him call them at 704-589-5896 or 704-674-8879.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Family concerned about Belmont man who hasn't returned home