BROOKLINE - Teenager Caleb Jacoby, whose disappearance last week provoked a massive community search effort before he was found safely in New York City, ran away on his own, the Police Department said on Monday.
Officer Ronnie McNeil said there was no criminal element to Jacoby's disappearance, and the police are doing no further investigation now that Jacoby has been found.
"He went on his own," McNeil said.
Jacoby is the 16-year-old son of Jeff and Laura Jacoby. Jeff Jacoby is a conservative columnist for the Boston Globe.
Caleb Jacoby went missing from home mid-day on Jan. 6 and was found in Times Square in New York City on Thursday night.
During the week, hundreds of volunteers scoured the Boston area in an effort organized by Maimonides School, where Jacoby is in the 11th-grade. Jewish organizations throughout greater Boston distributed fliers with Jacoby's picture, which were disseminated widely through social media.
Although the police had said last week they believed Jacoby was likely a runaway, Monday's announcement was the first time the police publicly confirmed it.
Caleb Jacoby
Caleb Jacoby's aunt, Debby Jacoby, reached at the family's Brookline home on Friday, said, "They're enjoying some private family time. As soon as they're ready to talk, I'm sure they will."
Jeff Jacoby said via Twitter on Thursday night, "Our prayers have been answered. We are thrilled to hear from the Brookline Police that our beloved son Caleb has been found and is safe. Words can't express our gratitude for the extraordinary outpouring of kindness and support that we have received from so many people. All we can think of at this moment is how wonderful it will be to see Caleb again and shower him with love."
Brookline police have said they worked with multiple other agencies, including the New York Police Department, which found Jacoby in Times Square at around 9 p.m. on Thursday.
Asked if there was any truth to news reports indicating that Jacoby had been seen in Providence, R.I., McNeil said, "Not to my knowledge."
The case drew an unusual amount of public attention, both from the tight-knit Jewish community of which the Jacobys are members and among those who know Jeff Jacoby's writing.
McNeil said efforts by Maimonides School to find Jacoby were "unbelievable." "Everyone was involved in the school," he said.
Maimonides head of school Naty Katz said on Friday, "Words cannot express our profound relief and gratitude that Caleb Jacoby has been found and is safe." Katz said the school is thankful for the work of the Brookline Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.
"Additionally, we are profoundly moved by the incredible volunteer efforts that brought our community together with individuals and organizations from around the world to help in the search for Caleb," Katz said. "This Shabbat (Sabbath), we can be especially thankful that our prayers have been answered."