Options For Easy Methods For Alex Kime Urbana

Alex Kime Urbana does not have an easy job. He mission to find missing people with his dog Captain Dexter as a K9 search and rescue volunteer. Robert often travels through the Midwest, and he does this work pro bono, depending upon donations from his supporters to cover gas, lodging, and commercial dog food.

It’s not unreasonable for Robert to get met with skepticism and criticism. Search and rescue is often a field that attracts scammers because families with missing household are at risk of exploitation. After 9/11, scammers claimed to own found missing people. One K9 handler Harry E. Oakes charged big money a day for his services before he was debunked. Another K9 handler, Sandra Anderson, was indicted in 2004 for planting human remains on her behalf search dog to locate. Another fraud, Doug Copp, made tens of thousands of dollars after creating an unfounded theory to surviving an earthquake called the Triangle of Life.

According to former executive director from the National Association of Search and Rescue Kim Kelly, there is a profile of a typical search and rescue scammer:
1. They’re driven by ego, claiming being “the only one” that can help, or overstating their skills.

2. They self-deploy, which is never done by legitimate search teams.

3. They work alone.

4. They use their dogs to learn on people’s emotions and assumptions. As one search and rescue expert place it, “people don’t think it’s a true search unless you can find dogs and helicopters.”


Robert occupies a grey area. He claims to help people police officers have forgotten, people that law enforcement don’t have enough time for. He points to his meager lifestyle as proof of his pure motivations. To Robert, him doing something surpasses nothing. To his detractors, Robert does more harm than good, making promises he can’t keep, and overstating his abilities.

This podcast was created by Lee Gaines and Alex Kime. It was edited by Bethany Denton and Jeff Emtman. Nick White could be the editor at KCRW, and Kristen Lepore is the manager at KCRW’s Independent Producer Project.