Family searches for Dandenong North’s Jake Lyons on National Missing Person’s Week
JAKE Lyons has not been heard from for nearly a year -even missing his 21st birthday- his family are desperate to find him.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT has been almost a year since Jake Lyons disappeared from his Scullin St home in Dandenong North.
His family has not heard from since — not for Christmas, or New Year, or even for his 21st birthday.
“It’s occasions like those when it hurts the most; not knowing where Jake is, who he’s with, if he’s okay,” his cousin Kim Brassington said.
“It’s a numb feeling. He disappeared without a trace, no explanations, no ceremony — just gone.
“You don’t know how you’re supposed to feel when someone just leaves your life unexpectedly.”
When he disappeared on August 25 last year, it was a normal Monday like any other.
His father got ready for work and left, with his son still at home.
That was the last confirmed sighting of Jake.
It’s believed that at some point during the day he visited a supermarket on Springvale Rd, Springvale.
He bought a drink, some snacks, withdrew $50; and then he vanished.
Police later found his father’s Holden Astra in the car park of Warner Reserve in Springvale.
The car had been locked and the keys placed underneath.
Detectives are yet to work out what happened in that car park.
“Throughout this investigation, a number of avenues have been explored,” Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said.
“Did Jake meet with foul play? Did he have a plan? Was he meeting someone? We have and continue to have a lot of the same questions as the Lyons family.
“At this stage, we are of the belief that Jake left of his own accord.
“Nothing within the car suggests that he left in a rush.
“Despite common misconceptions, going missing isn’t a crime.
“If Jake is out there somewhere, that’s okay, we just want to give his family some closure.”
Jake Lyons is 178cm tall, of medium build, caucasian and with straight brown hair.
He was last seen wearing green jeans, a blue jumper and black runners.
This week is National Missing Persons Week, coordinated by Australian Federal Police through the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre, with support from state and territory police.
There were 9245 people reported missing in Victoria in 2014. Of those, more than half were accounted for within 24 hours.
Just more than 75 per cent were accounted for within the first three days. By the end of 2014, 98.7 per cent of missing persons cases had been closed.
Dispelling myths surrounding missing people is one of the main aims around NMPW this year.
DID YOU KNOW:
n You don’t have to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing
n It is not a crime to go missing
n NMPW, which runs until August 8, is recognised annually to raise community awareness about missing persons and the impact that losing a loved one can have on both their families and the wider community
n More information can be found at missingpersons.gov.au