BANGOR — The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and several partner agencies are following up on at least 60 leads that have come in over the last 24 hours in the effort to find a missing 15-year-old Glenburn girl.

Nichole Cable was last seen Sunday evening on Route 221 in her hometown, county law enforcement officials said earlier this week.

Her parents, Jason and Kristine Wiley, reported her missing the next morning. County authorities immediately issued a missing person alert.

As of Thursday afternoon, the teenager’s disappearance was classified as “an active missing person investigation,” Penobscot County Sheriff Glenn Ross said during a news conference at the former county courthouse.

During the conference, Ross and Chief Deputy Troy Morton, along with Maine State Police Maj. Gary Wright and Lt. Kevin Adam of the Maine Warden Service, described steps being taken to reunite the Glenburn girl with her family.

Ross and Morton said that as of Thursday morning, they had fielded 60 tips and are pursuing each and every one of them.

Morton said Thursday that police want to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything of note between 8 p.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday on Route 221, commonly known as Hudson Road, between the Pushaw Road intersection and the Route 43 intersection, near Roger’s Market.

Her parents, who issued an emotional plea for Nichole’s return during a news conference on Wednesday morning, did not attend Thursday’s gathering. Ross and Morton said Nichole’s family has asked that the media abstain from visiting their home for the time being.

Among the resources the agency has brought in are personnel and expertise from the Maine State Police, Maine Warden Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, The National Center for Missing Children, Bangor Police Department and others, Penobscot County Chief Deputy Troy Morton said.

On Thursday, the warden service brought an airplane to the Glenburn area to search camp roads and other remote locations from overhead.

Police and family members also have turned to social networking resources, including a “Bring Nichole Cable Home” Facebook page, to spread the word about Cable’s disappearance. Family and friends also are posting flyers in high visibility locations throughout Penobscot County and beyond.

On their Facebook page, the Old Town High School student’s parents say that they believe their daughter was last known to be with a male using a fictitious name on a Facebook account. A Bangor High School student with the same name was questioned by police.

“We are well aware of that theory,” Ross said Thursday. “We have interviewed him and there is nothing at this point that would indicate any other action is needed by our department there.

“But this is an active investigation. His name is out there and perhaps he’s concerned that he might be misaccused.”

The Bangor High student told WLBZ in Bangor that he has been cleared by police.

Police agencies throughout the state have shared Cable’s description on Facebook, along with New England Cable News, based in Boston.

As of Thursday, Ross and Morton have declined to comment on whether they think the Old Town High School student may have been abducted or if she had run away.

The computer crimes unit is working to trace her steps online and with her cellphone. Morton said Wednesday that he could not say if police believe she still has her phone.

Asked what wardens and members of Maine Search and Rescue are looking for in their ground searches, Adams said, “In any search, really, we’re looking for clues, which could be footprints, clothing, any kind of clue that they leave. You follow those clues and you should find the person.”

Cable stands 5 feet, 1 inch tall, weighs 90 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. The teen has her nose, lip and ears pierced.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office at 947-4585.

BDN reporters Nok-Noi Ricker, Alex Barber and Ryan McLaughlin contributed to this report.

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