‘Unlike him:’ Family of missing Joliet man speaks out, police search in river

JOLIET Ill. — Robin Robinson says her brother is a man of routine, and never breaks it, raising their worries after he went missing last Thursday.

A search is underway after 37-year-old Robert Long was reported missing near the 300 block of North Bluff Street by the Des Plaines River in Joliet April 11.

Long’s sister, Robin Robinson, said her brother has a structured routine, which is what raised the initial concern of his disappearance.

“He’s up at 5 a.m., showers, irons his clothes and goes to work. He checks up on mom every day, there were people in his life that he reached out to everyday, it is unlike him to not talk to him at all,” Robinson said.

Robinson says her brother moved back to live with his mother in Joliet about a year ago due to their mother’s health concerns. She also says he has a job at Kellog and talks to his teen kids on a daily basis.

Long’s mother, Jewell Robinson, attended a Joliet City Council meeting Tuesday night to request community help in locating her son.

“I’ve been in Joliet for 23 years. I have never been in trouble and my son has near been in trouble, and all I am asking for is some help in finding my son,” Robinson said in the recorded city council meeting.

Fire Chief Jeff Carey said in the meeting the fire department was able to deploy a search boat in the Desplaines River after requests from the family but was cut short due to an incident elsewhere. Chief Carry said the search in the river is expected to continue Wednesday.

Long’s sister says he did not have any arguments with anyone and does not think there was any reason to disappear on his own.

“I’m just hoping for a phone call of ‘come and get me,’’’ Robinson said.

Long was last seen wearing a gray jacket, blue jeans and sunglasses. He is 5’6″ tall and 150 pounds with short black hair and brown eyes. He also has a tattoo on his forearm that reads “CPT.”

“I just want him to know if he is listening, watching or read, that I’m coming to get you,” his sister said.

If any information is uncovered on his whereabouts, contact 911 or the Joliet Police Department’s non-emergency line at (815)-726-2491.

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