'I'm hopeful': Queensland man searching Canberra's streets for missing brother

The black baseball cap reading "Kill iT" in the cupboard of his Atherton home in Queensland makes him emotional. He waits for that one phone call to hear from the other end: "Chris boy."

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Chris Centea reached Canberra early on Wednesday and spent the next three nights searching under every bridge, alleyway, and library in the territory and surrounding areas, hoping to find his elder brother, Claudiu "Claude" Centea.

Chris Centea from Queensland arrived in Canberra last week looking for his brother Claudiu "Claude" Clentea who has been missing since 2022. Picture by Petlee Peter

"It has been four years. It's like he dropped off the face of the earth," a distraught Mr Centea told The Canberra Times, seated on a park bench in Queanbeyan on a hot Friday afternoon.

"Our dad passed away, mate. I want to give him the news," Mr Centea said.

On August 23, their father, Niculae Centea, died at his residence in the south-western NSW town of Hay following a massive heart attack. Claude was his eldest son.

A photo of Claude in 2004. right, an AI-generated image of what Claude may look like today. Pictures supplied

Mr Centea searched Canberra and Queanbeyan areas showing people an original image of Claude from 2004 alongside an AI-generated image of him from it in the hope of finding his elder brother who he believes is living on the streets of Canberra. Pictures Supplied

Born in Romania, Claude migrated to Australia as a young boy with his parents, who settled in Gin Gin, in Queensland's Bundaberg region.

"Claude and I used to go for walks through the bush from our property in Gin Gin. We would always take two-minute noodles as snacks and eat them dry. When I got tired, he would piggyback me," recalled 36-year-old Mr Centea, reflecting on childhood days with his brother, who is 12 years his senior.

"He gave me his black cap when he left home many years ago. I still have it," he said.

The black cap Claude gave his little brother Chris before leaving their Gin Gin home in Queensland. Picture Supplied

Trouble with the law in Newcastle, homeless in Canberra

Claude later moved to Sydney, then Newcastle, before arriving in Canberra a few years ago. He had run-ins with the police on multiple occasions, while a suspected drug problem left him without a home in the nation's capital.

On April 2, 2019, Claude was involved in a seven-hour stand-off with NSW Police after climbing onto the roof of a primary school in Newcastle wearing a red jumpsuit, blue pants, a silver motorcycle helmet, and gumboots. The school was placed under lockdown as police worked to bring him down during what was described as a drug-induced psychosis.

In April 2019, Claude surrendered to police after a seven-hour standoff after climbing on the roof of a Newcastle primary school. Picture Newcastle Herald

Armed with a 2004 photograph of Claude and an AI-generated image showing how he might look today, Mr Centea's search in Canberra has brought him glimmers of hope.

"I searched the bridge in Gungahlin and places in the city, and some people recalled seeing him, though only a few years ago. Some said he was seen near the Queanbeyan Showground, and another said he was in Braidwood wearing a pirate hat," he said.

The family last saw Claude eight years ago when he visited his mother, Anna, at her home in Townsville, Queensland. Over the years, his visits grew infrequent and the phone calls eventually stopped.

Hopeful of finding his elder brother, Chris Centea will return to Canberra looking for him. Picture by Petlee Peter

Now 49, Claude has also faced legal trouble in the ACT.

"He was due to appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on September 21, but he failed to show," said Mr Centea, who also approached ACT Policing in his effort to locate his missing brother.

"I feel distraught, tired, and emotionally drained. But I'm hopeful of finding him," the younger brother said on Saturday before driving out of Canberra.

He will come to the capital again in search for Claude.

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