Cops are hunting for a high school teacher who allegedly kidnapped his 15-year-old student — one week after the pair went missing in Tennessee.

The teen, Elizabeth Thomas, was last seen at a Shoney’s restaurant in her hometown, Columbia, around 7:30 a.m. March 13 and is believed to have been kidnapped by Tad Cummins, a 50-year-old former teacher at her school in Maury County.

“Investigative efforts, over the past few days, continue to reveal a troubling pattern of behavior on the park of Cummins, and indicates he potentially planned this abduction prior to Monday,” according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “Nothing investigators have learned about Cummins or his intentions for the young girl since issuing the AMBER alert calms the imminent concern for Elizabeth’s well-being. In fact, it only heightens it.”

An update on the case released Thursday indicated Cummins might have been “abusing his role” as a teacher to groom Thomas to lure and potentially sexually exploit the girl, described as 5-foot-5 and 120 pounds with blond hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a flannel shirt and black leggings, authorities said.

District Attorney General Brent Cooper has said Cummins will be charged with aggravated kidnapping of Thomas and charges for an alleged sexual interaction with the girl at Culleoka Unit School in Culleoka, where he taught and Thomas attended as a student.

School district officials suspended Cummins — who has since been placed on the TBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted list — when the allegations surfaced and formally terminated his employment Tuesday.

Investigators have determined that Cummins secured a title loan for his SUV prior to his disappearance, netting $4,500 in cash.

“To that end, the TBI would like to hear from anyone who may have had an interaction with either individual prior to their disappearance,” according to the TBI, which has received roughly 250 tips from 24 states in connection to the case, some from as far away as California and Florida.

“The low number of tips, combined with the limited resources Cummins is believed to have in his possession, leads investigators to believe he may be keeping her out of view of the general public,” according to the TBI’s latest AMBER Alert update. “For example, he potentially may have them sleeping in the vehicle or Cummins may have driven them far away from Tennessee to a rural community. Having now been on the run for more than five days, Cummins may have taken her, frankly, anywhere.”

Cummins, described as a white male standing 6 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds, is believed to be armed with two handguns and driving a silver Nissan Rogue with Tennessee license plate 976-ZPT. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest.

Cooper told reporters during a press conference Friday that Thomas has had a “difficult life,” but declined to elaborate, The Tennessean reports.

Cummins’ wife, Jill, attended the press conference alongside deputies and pleaded for her husband to surrender.

“Tad, this is not you. This is not who you are. We can help you get through this,” she said, according to The Tennessean. “I had no idea my husband was involved in any of this.”