Have You Seen This Missing Lancaster Man?
Ohio’s Statewide Emergency Alert Program
State authorities issue a missing adult alert and ask for the public’s help to find a local man who hasn’t been seen since late May.
LANCASTER, Ohio—State authorities issued a missing adult alert Tuesday night and asked for the public’s help to find a local man.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
Dale K. Jones, 68, was seen last Saturday, May 30, 2009, at his Lancaster residence.
Jones has not contacted his family since that date. He left his valuables at home and has not made any bank transactions since the day he was seen last.
Jones is a white male who is 6 feet 2 inches tall. He weighs 228 pounds and has gray hair and blue eyes.
Jones may be traveling on foot; his vehicle is not missing.
Anyone with information on Jones’ whereabouts was encouraged to call Lancaster police at 740-687-6680 or dial 911.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
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Reader Reactions
If knocking on a neighbor’s door is enough to get you shot, I think I’d have to move! How horrible! I certainly wouldn’t raise children around such people, nor would I allow my elderly parents to live in such a place!
Minding your own business is fine when it comes to gossiping or offering unsolicited advice. But no man is an island, and we’re all a little better off when we take the time to look out for each other.
If you reported mail stacking up for an elderly person on your route, even though it turned out that all was well, I have no doubt that person feels a lot safer now knowing you were keeping your eyes open. And I would be honored to have a carrier such as you.
as a mailman, i can assure you that we do notice when someone’s mail accumulates…but not necessarily until after several days. i have MANY people on my route that only empty their mail once every 2 to 3 months. yes, older people are MUCH better at getting the mail than the “young” ones but even still, you dont start to notice anything as “odd” until after 3 or 4 days. and even then, who do you call to see if this person is maybe just on vacation?? (which is what happened to me last month when one of my 90 some year olds went 4 days without emptying the mail.)
also, susie, its not always selfishness as much as its “mind your own business.“ in my neighbourhood, if i went around talking to people i would probably get shot. you stay in your yard and mind your businesses and they will do the same. doing otherwise is not safe.
Cometmom, I am so terribly sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how frightening it is to feel that alone, and I pray her suffering was brief. At least you know you did everything you possibly could to make sure she was safe and cared for.
I don’t know what happened to our “communities.“ When I was growing up, everyone knew their neighbors, and everyone looked out for one another.
It seems like a selfishness permeates today’s society with “Not My Problem” as the anthem.
We all really do need each other. And we could benefit so much, and learn so much, by embracing our elderly relatives and neighbors.
If you see an elderly person, you can’t just assume they have family to care for them and look after them. Many are widows and widowers with deceased children, or no children.
Would it really cost so much to make a little extra casserole and take a plate to them once a week? Or would it take too much time the next time you go to the grocery to offer to pick up a few items for them? Or even take them along? How about offering to cut their grass or shovel their walk? But more than anything, they may just wish they had someone to talk with them, someone to sit with them and watch a TV show, even. It wouldn’t take long, and it could bring such enormous rewards to all involved.
Yeh, it’s inconvenient. And at some point, we all will become inconvenient. Every one of us. As corny as it sounds, giving from the heart will always be returned to you in incredible ways. If you don’t believe me, try it just once.
Susie - you are SOOO right. 5 years, 2 weeks and 3 days ago, I returned from vacation and went to visit my mother only to find her dead, gray body on her bedroom floor where she’d been for, they figure, approximately 5 days. I had been on vacation, but made sure she was set before I left - she was well, had plenty of food and cash on hand, and TWO separate neighbors had mine, my husband’s and son’s cell numbers, as well as keys to her house and were to check on her daily. NOT ONE TIME did anyone do that. Not only that, the mailman who delivered mail every day did not report that she had an accumulation of mail in her mailbox or that her door was slightly a jar on the house. Each of them said afterward “we thought something was odd because her lights were always on, but we didn’t see movement!“ My mom wasn’t sick, but she was diabetic and no longer driving due to an injury. She was had all of her wits and was only 78 years old - with the stamina of someone half her age!! She had a heart attack and died on her bedroom floor alone trying to get to her phone. Now, even if she’d been checked on, this still may have happened - BUT she wouldn’t have laid there for nearly a week!!!!
In these busy times, most people are too wrapped in their own lives and problems to notice those around them.
I don’t know this man’s circumstances, but more and more older citizens live alone, many without family nearby, or without family at all. If someone doesn’t get a lot of mail, it can take a long time before his or her absence is noticed.
If you have any older neighbors who live alone, please take a few moments a week to get to know them. You could save a life.
That is sad, even though it is unlikely, I do hope they find him unharmed.
Wow… a month and a half later the alert goes out… I hope they find him and he’s ok but 45 days later…
Why is this just now being reported? If my mother was missing for a short amount of time (less than 24), I would report it and want everyone to help find her. Does the man has alzheimers/dementia? Has he been known to take off before? He obviously didn’t take a vacation if he left everything at home. There are too many questions for this story.
He’s been missing since late May?!? Even if he IS on foot, he could be across the Mississippi River by now. Doesn’t the word ‘news’ come from the word ‘new’?
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