A lot has happened since Jake Lyons was last seen by anyone who knew him. Christmas has come and gone and when it was time to celebrate Jake’s 21st birthday this year, he wasn’t there to be flooded with key-shaped greeting cards and get rowdy with his mates. He was still missing.
Jake disappeared on 25 August 2014 almost without a trace. It was a Monday and according to Jake’s father, Rick Lyons nothing seemed out of the ordinary when he saw his son before leaving their Dandenong North home for work that day – little did he know that would be the last confirmed sighting of Jake.
Mr Lyons says when he got home that day at about 5pm he found his Scullin Street home unlocked, the gas on the stove turned on but his 20-year-old son was nowhere to be found.
According to police it is believed that at some point during the day Jake left home and visited a supermarket on Springvale Road, Springvale. He purchased a drink, some snacks, withdrew $50 and vanished.
It is also suspected that Jake might have met with someone at the local Warner Reserve in Springvale where police located Rick Lyons Holden Astra in the car park. The car was locked with the keys placed underneath the chassis but police are still yet to discover why Jake went to that location in the first place.
“Nothing within the car suggests that he left in a rush,” said Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana in a statement.
Jake disappeared on 25 August 2014 and was last seen in his Scullin St home in Dandenong North, Victoria.
Police also confirmed Jake has not accessed his bank accounts or used his social media channels since he went missing 12 months ago.
“Throughout this investigation, a number of avenues have been explored,” said Mr Fontana.
“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.”
In November, about three months after his son went missing, Rick Lyon’s told the Dandenong Leader that not knowing what happened to his son was tearing him apart.
“Jake, if you’re out there, mate, I’d like you to ring me to let us know that you’re OK,” he said.
“We love you and we miss you. We’re worried sick about you.”
According to reports, Mr Lyon had told media that his son had been struggling with depression and was receiving counselling to help treat his condition. Jake had also reportedly dismantled his phone and computer on the day he disappeared.
Jake’s cousin, Kim Brassington told a local paper in January that she feared Jake might have taken his own life but because there is no concrete evidence of that the family has been left in limbo, just wondering what’s happened.
“You don’t know how you’re supposed to feel when someone just leaves your life unexpectedly,” Jake’s cousin Kim Brassington explains.
Jake is one of the 9245 people who were reported missing in Victoria alone last year and of those, more than half were accounted for within 24 hours. Less than 3 per cent of those cases are still open.
During this year’s National Missing Person’s Week, which will run from 1 – 8 August, police are out to dispel five main myths surrounding these types of cases:
You don’t have to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing,
It is not a crime to go missing,
People don’t “choose” to go missing,
A missing persons address is not released to the person who reported them as missing, and;
Adults can be reported as missing.
Jake’s family and police want him to know if he is out there, he hasn’t broken any laws by going missing.
“Despite common misconceptions, going missing isn’t a crime,” reiterates Mr Fontana.
“If Jake is out there somewhere, that’s ok, we just want to give his family some closure.”
Facts in the case of missing man Jake Lyons
Missing since: 25 August 2014
Missing from: Dandenong North, VIC
Information from police: On Sunday 25 August 2014, Jake, then aged 20 years, left his home in Scullin Street Dandenong North. He has not made any contact with his family nor accessed his bank account since that date. Jake’s family and Police hold concerns for his welfare.
Description: Jake Lyons is described as being 178 centimetres tall with a medium build, Caucasian, straight brown hair, and unshaven, and was last seen wearing green jeans, a blue jumper and black runners.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Further information on NMPW can be found at Missing Persons
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