The Canadian couple crossed into Washington at the U.S. Port of Entry at Oroville in this 2000 Chevy Astro van. The van’s BC license plate number is 212-CAV.

PENTICTON – The Penticton RCMP, Okanogan County and Washington State officials are investigating the disappearance of a Penticton couple, after their family reported their parents missing on Thursday March 31.

The 59-year-old man and his 56-year-old wife failed to return to Penticton from a business trip to Las Vegas. The children of the Penticton couple grew concerned after the pair, Albert and Rita Chretien, did not return from their trip to Las Vegas as planned between Monday to Wednesday of last week. The Chretiens were traveling in their light brown colored 2000 Chevy Astro Van. The van has B.C. plates with the number 212-CAV.

“We have confirmed that they did cross into Washington State via Oroville on March 19th, 2011 at around 7:05 a.m. that Tuesday morning. To date the couples banking activities and cell phone usage have been nil. The Penticton RCMP is liaising with several U.S. police agencies in order to forward the information stateside in attempts to locate the couple,” stated Corporal Dan Moskaluk of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Family members are very concerned and note that their parents failing to show for the planned attendance at a trade show and convention is out of the ordinary, adding that the Chretiens are local business owner operators which has had a direct effect and been of concern to many others as the pairs has a small staff of employees

Anyone with information regarding this missing persons investigation is asked to contact: The Penticton RCMP at (250) 492-4300, Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477, the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Department at (509) 422-7232 or the Washington State Patrol at (509) 682-8090.