Sheriff's Helicopter Searching Fields, Hills For Missing San Bernardino Woman

REDLANDS (CBSLA.com) — Authorities are scouring the empty fields and hills of San Bernardino County as part of the search for a missing student who vanished Monday.

The search for 22-year-old Sahray Astina Barber is heating up, with a sheriff's airship combing a ravine and remote areas for the graphic design student reported missing earlier this week.

The massive search is alarming to local residents.

"They're keeping really tight-lipped," said Jessica Padilla, who works as a gardener on the Redlands property where authorities searched this morning. "All I know is what the owners told me. She just said there's a missing girl that they're looking for.

Barber was last seen at her apartment complex across the street from Cal State San Bernardino at 6 a.m. Monday, leaving for work. Police say she never made it to the Art Institute, where she attends school and works.

Her laptop and cell phone were found in bushes at her apartment complex.

"It's pretty scary," said Kathleen Burke, who lives at the complex where Barber went missing. She said her parents live in a neighborhood not far away that was searched Thursday.

"You're on edge – you know something is going on. We're just taking precautions," Burke said.

The air search comes just hours after deputies served a search warrant at Barber's apartment.

Meanwhile, Thursday night, the Cal State campus, a self-defense class was full.

News of Barber's disappearance, coupled with an attempted rape and kidnapping last week, and a strong-armed robbery and carjacking just a few days prior, has many concerned.

"I came because I was just really disturbed by what's going on," student Maribel Perez said.

Barber's parents, from Victorville, say it is uncharacteristic of her to disappear. They say they last spoke to her Sunday evening.