The 51-year-old was spotted in Wangaratta on Tuesday and a possible break-in at Miller’s Cottage on Thursday night may indicate he had not left the city.

Police could not confirm if the culprit was Mr Tromp because previous occupants had not returned their key.

Motel manager Rosemarie O’Neill said staff discovered the door open on Friday morning and the room had been used, but not damaged.

“We called the police because we thought it could help them look for that missing man,” she said.

“We all want him to come out and be OK.”

Mr Tromp’s family members had travelled to Wangaratta to help with the search, driving around and talking to people in hope of getting any information.

His cousin, who did not want to be identified, said the family’s investment properties in Wangaratta were being rented out and he had no idea where to look.

“We’ve been looking everywhere, we were up late (Thursday) night and up again at 5.15am (Friday) morning,” he said.

“I don’t think he’s been able to walk through Wangaratta without being seen.”

The cousin described Mr Tromp as “a normal, hard-working, honest family man” and said the paranoia of recent days was “so far out of left field”.

“I’ve been working with him and I saw no sign of this,” the man said.

“It’s horrible … he’s by himself and obviously thinks someone’s after him.”

Sergeant Mark Knight, of Monbulk police, said two sightings of Mr Trump on either side of the Victoria/NSW border were both days old.

“We haven’t substantiated any sightings,” he said.

“I don’t know where he is, I’ve got no idea.”

Mr Tromp’s wife Jacoba spoke to police from hospital in Yass, where she was found Wednesday, but could not shed light on what happened.

“We’ll continue to talk to her, but we just have to let her rest for now,” Sergeant Knight said.