MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) – The father of a Sheldon teenager missing since last month is criticizing how Vermont State Police are investigating her disappearance.

In a letter to Gov. James Douglas, Bruce Maitland said the investigation has not been aggressive enough and that his family had been kept in the dark about what police are doing.

“As the parents, we receive many tips that we forward to police – are they acted on?” he asked Douglas.

“Who knows? Police tell you nothing about what they are doing with your case and tips, but we know the results. NOTHING,” he said.

Jason Gibbs, the governor’s spokesman, said Douglas had not received the letter Friday afternoon but had been assured by Public Safety Commissioner Kerry Sleeper that police were working hard on the case.

“We all share the family’s concern and want to do everything we can to determine what happened and bring this young woman home safely,” Gibbs said. “The police are taking every tip and lead seriously.”

Brianna Maitland, 17, has been missing since the night of March 19 after she left her job at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery. Her car was found the next day a mile outside town, its rear end forcibly driven into the side of an abandoned house.

Bruce Maitland said he’s angry police did not tell his family about the car at the time, and that he did not learn about it until five days after her disappearance when he and his wife filed a missing person’s report.

Brianna was living at a family friend’s house at the time of her disappearance.

“I think they’re still treating this as a runaway,” he said in an interview. “The crime scene was destroyed. The pictures show there was snow on the ground but you can’t tell if Brianna’s footprint was there, leading from the car, or someone else’s. The snow melted before we knew she was missing.”

Searches for the missing teen two weekends after her disappearance attracted 300 volunteers but were inconclusive.

AP-ES-04-17-04 1959EDT