College Student Reported Missing

The last time anyone reported seeing Alex Zingaro, he was sleepily trying to get out of bed so that he could begin his second day of waiting tables.

But the 22-year-old college student never showed up, and he hasn’t been found for nearly a week.

At Zingaro’s apartment in Carlsbad, his surfboard and wetsuit remain untouched. His newly pressed shirt for work is still in the closet.

Zingaro was reported missing Thursday evening by his parents, who live in Lake Forest. They spent the weekend passing out fliers and distributing his picture in Carlsbad and at Cal State San Marcos, where Zingaro is a junior communications student.

Police on Monday said they could have a break in the case: one of Zingaro’s credit cards has been used twice since his Sept. 4 disappearance. Investigators were checking surveillance cameras and receipts to see who used the card.

“There’s no evidence of foul play, but we’ve kept working at it,” Carlsbad Police Lt. Jim Byler said. “It’s a mystery right now.”

Police said the credit card was used at gas stations in Colton on the day Zingaro was reported missing and in Escondido last weekend.

But so far, there has been no trace of Zingaro, who got a job on Labor Day as a waiter at Tony Roma’s restaurant.

Zingaro’s truck and wallet are missing. He was seen in bed on Wednesday morning, when his roommate, Scott Alderson, came home from school. Zingaro called work, telling his supervisor that he’d be late because he had to attend an orientation on campus. When he didn’t come home the following day, Alderson called Zingaro’s parents, who called police.

Alex is 5-feet 11-inches and about 180 pounds, with brown hair with blond tips and blue-green eyes. He was driving a 1989 blue Mazda pickup with a camper shell, license plate 5U57091. Anyone with information is asked to call the Carlsbad Police Department at (760) 931-2197.