A Justin Bieber superfan who had $100,000 worth of plastic surgery to look like the pop star has been reported missing. Tobias Strebel, a 35-year-old aspiring singer from California, was last seen on 18 August in West Hollywood. Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said he may have been driving a Toyota Camry.
His friend Mel Espinoza told an LA TV station: "This is very unusual for him to be missing. He hasn't done anything like this, not shown up for no reason, no note or anything."
Toby appeared on E! show Botched Surgery talking about how much he enjoys songwriting and was seen recording his own music.
He also spoke of his admiration for 21-year-old Justin, saying: "What brought me to Bieber was the whole package: the full cheeks, the full temples, the bright open eyes, the full luscious lips, and spatial framing…[he’s] just extraordinarily beautiful.”
The lookalike explained that he takes a picture of the star from two years ago to his surgeons so that they can model his face on when Justin was very young. Toby's ultimate dream is to be invited to duet with his hero.
Justin has yet to comment on his fan's disappearance perhaps because he has been busy preparing for the release of his single What Do You Mean? on 28 August. He has persuaded celebrity followers such as Ben Stiller, Ed Sheeran and Kendall Jenner to repeat the title on the song on social media, with a new one doing so each day.
However, the young star may well make a plea for help to find Toby. In the last few months, Justin has made an effort to show that he is growing up.
He released a video clip apologising for his controversial behaviour last year such as his arrest for drink driving. He said: "I'm a person who genuinely cares. And although what's happened in the past has happened, I just want to make the best impression on people and be kind and loving and gentle and soft."
"And although people can call me a 'softy', that's how my mom raised me."