Birmingham police searching for info on missing man

Birmingham police are reaching out to the public for information about a missing man. They think someone knows what happened to him, but they are scared to come forward for fear of retaliation.

Fighting back tears, Mable Allen remembers the last words her husband said to her. "He said 'baby, I'll be home in a few minutes, I'll see you in a little while,'" recalls Mable Allen.

Lee Allen never made it home. That was nearly five years ago and Mable still wonders where he is.

"He had a note and said that the guy - someone had called and told him they had found his other car that had gotten stolen from the service station out in 5 Points West and told him they know where the car was," said Allen.

Mable says her husband went to this service station to meet up with someone who supposedly knew where his car was, but when the other person did not show up, Lee got into his car to leave. That is when something strange happened.

 "Well, according to one of the witnesses he stated that when Lee Allen got in his vehicle, a young male was in the back seat of his car. He sat up and looked out the rear view mirror as Mr. Allen was driving off in the vehicle," said Detective Tasha Thomas with Birmingham P.D.

Police are not saying if they think foul play is involved, but they do believe more information is out there and they want to encourage more witnesses to come forward.

"Sometimes, we get that we have the public scared to come forward with information due to retaliation and then you have people who say 'well I have to live in this area.' So, we're just trying to let the public know we're not trying to get anyone in trouble.  We're just trying to resolve a case, trying to work a case, trying to clear a case," said Detective Thomas.

"I just wish someone that knows something will call the detective and let her know," said Mable Allen.

Allen says if the case is not solved by June, a judge will declare Lee dead. The family is offering a $5,000 reward for information. The number to call if you have information is 205- 297- 8413.

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