SACO — The search for 23-year-old James Dyer, who was last seen New Year’s Day in the Old Port in Portland, was turned over to the Saco Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division on Monday, officials said.

Police said Dyer has not made contact with his family since 1:45 a.m. Friday, when he was last seen leaving The Pearl nightclub. They said Dyer was celebrating the New Year when he went missing.

Dyer is white, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a red flannel shirt, tan khaki pants, L.L. Bean boots, and a blue and red Patriots ball cap.

“They were walking toward the car and there was quite a group of people and his friend turned around and he was just missing. He just disappeared,” Amy Dyer, James Dyer’s mother, said.

Amy Dyer said she knew something was wrong when she didn’t hear from her son. She told CBS 13, “It’s not like him to do this. He’s constantly in contact with all of us. He never misses work.”

The Coast Guard has searched nearby waters and Portland police have been searching on foot. Friends put up missing person signs around bars and restaurants in the Old Port on Sunday. They are hoping someone may have seen him.

“He’s one of the nicest kids we all know,” Andrew Fleury, a friend, said. “Jim has never had problems with anyone that I know of and no one has had a problem with Jim. He’s just always very happy go-lucky.”

Police are not saying if they think a crime may have happened but are focusing on finding him.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Saco Police at 284-4535.