Jake Lyons disappearance: Family pleads for help finding missing Dandenong man who vanished 10 years ago.

The family of a young military candidate who disappeared without a trace is appealing for information again, saying “we have suffered enough.”

The last time Kim Brassington saw her cousin Jake Lyons, it was her birthday and it seemed like he “didn’t want to get out of the car.”

“Jake is a handsome young man, he was 20 years old when we last saw him,” she said.

“He deserves that we find him somehow.”

Ms Brassington braved the news cameras on Sunday as Victoria Police issued a fresh appeal for information into the disappearance of Jake Lyons on the 10th anniversary of his disappearance.

The then 20-year-old was last seen at his Dandenong home on Scullin St in Melbourne’s south-east on August 25, 2014.

His father Rick left for work around 9 a.m. and was initially unconcerned when he came home to an empty house and found his car gone.

But three days later, after several attempts to make contact failed, Jake was reported missing to police.

On the 10th anniversary of his disappearance, detectives from the Missing Persons Squad are appealing for the public’s help in finding Jake (pictured)

It would be another three days before detectives found Rick’s silver Holden Astra estate car at Warner Reserve in Springvale, around the corner from where Jake used to go to school.

The car was locked and the keys were under the vehicle, but police were unable to determine whether the man had driven to the reserve himself.

There has been no trace of the missing man since then and police believe it is ‘unlikely’ that Jake is still alive.

“Although his disappearance is completely unusual, police have never been able to establish whether there was any suspicious behaviour,” said Tony Combridge, acting inspector in charge of the Missing Persons Unit.

‘We hope that today’s call will give us more opportunities for research.

“It may be that over time someone will be able to share information with us that he or she could not have in 2014 or the years that followed.”

Acting Inspector Combridge said a friend of Jake’s told police he had arrived at the Scullin Street house in the afternoon after making plans to look for a rental property with Jake.

He found the front door open and no one home.

Jake (pictured as a child) was last seen at his Dandenong home on Scullin St on August 25, 2014

“It doesn’t appear he was planning on leaving at that time,” the detective said.

“There are some gaps in the day he disappeared and in the days afterward… I believe there are people who know things that we would like to know.”

Mrs Brassington described Jake as “kind, thoughtful and intelligent” and noted that he dreamed of joining the military.

She said he had previously lived with her and her partner, but that before his disappearance he had suddenly expressed a desire to move back in with his father.

Jake was seeing a therapist for his depression, but Ms Brassington said she had seen ‘some positive things’.

“Ten years of stress, worry and fear – it’s a nightmare,” she said.

“His father wakes up every morning and has to deal with this. It’s very hard not knowing where your child is or if he’s hurt.”

There has been no trace of the missing man, and police now believe it is ‘less likely’ that Jake is still alive (Pictured: Tony Combridge, Acting Detective Inspector of the Missing Persons Unit)

Kim Brassington (pictured) described Jake, her nephew, as “kind, thoughtful and intelligent” and noted that he dreamed of joining the military

Mrs Brassington is asking anyone with information, no matter how small, to contact police.

“Please come forward and bring our family the peace we have suffered long enough,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.