Camden County Police are asking for the public's help finding Matias Polo, a 17-year-old reported missing from his home in the Fairview neighborhood. Polo is described as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 141 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black sweater and black pants and was carrying a backpack.
The teen's disappearance was reported by Newport Dispatch, which noted that Polo is known to frequent both Fairview and East Camden. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Camden County Police Department's tip line at (856) 757-7042.
A Historic Neighborhood With Deep Ties Across South Camden
Fairview is a planned residential neighborhood in South Camden that dates back to 1918, when it was built as Yorkship Village to house shipyard workers during World War I, according to Wikipedia. Fairview is a diverse residential area with Black and Hispanic populations.
Camden's Fairview is adjacent to Centerville and Morgan Village. NJ Transit and PATCO connections serve the area.
State Rules Require Immediate Action on Missing Minors
New Jersey law enforcement agencies are statutorily barred from imposing any waiting period before accepting a missing person report and must begin investigating a juvenile's disappearance right away, under guidelines from the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. The directive permits law enforcement agencies to request mutual aid in cases involving missing children age 13 or younger.
The New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit is involved in missing-person matters, and the State Police can activate AMBER Alerts.
Camden County Police are asking the public to direct information about Polo's whereabouts to the department's tip line.
