The family of 18-year-old Bryan Braumberger of Burnaby has issued a $10,000 reward for his safe return and the conviction of anyone responsible for his disappearance in a case that has been taken over by a special RCMP unit.

Janice Braumberger, the teen's mother, announced the reward at a police press conference Friday morning. She said the family is hopeful their son, who has been missing since May, is still alive, but the longer Bryan is missing, the harder it is to stay optimistic.

Bryan Braumberger was last seen May 31, leaving a church parking lot in New Westminster.
(RCMP)

"But you have to remain hopeful. Until we know otherwise, we have to believe he's out there, and that someone somewhere is going to let us know," she said.

RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr said although Braumberger's disappearance is suspicious, the fact the case has been taken over by the integrated homicide investigation team in no way indicates police believe Bryan is dead.

He says it's the team's mandate to become involved in suspicious cases, and Burnaby RCMP investigators needed the additional manpower.

Bryan Braumberger was last seen May 31, and his car was found abandoned the next day in a New Westminster parking lot. He hasn't been heard from since. His bank cards haven't been used and there have been no sightings of the young man.

In a bizarre twist, 20-year-old Shokhi Hossain of Burnaby was arrested last month in connection with a note that the Braumberger family received. The note demanded money for information about his whereabouts, but it turned out to be a hoax.

With files from the Canadian Press