KEY POINTS:
The hunt for a prison escaper described by police as dangerous has shifted from Waikato to South Auckland.
Storm Bryce Hughes, 33, fled a work party outside the Springhill Prison in north Waikato yesterday.
Hughes had "an extensive history of violence," police said.
Police had received a number of possible sightings, Detective Sergeant Michele Moore of the Huntly CIB said today.
"We received positive information on his movements near Bombay earlier this morning and are following up reports of him being at a Pukekohe address about 8.30am," she said this afternoon.
"At this point we can't stress enough the importance of not approaching Hughes, who has an extensive history of violence. If you see this man call 111 immediately."
Hughes was described as a male Caucasian, of medium build, 171cm tall with short blond hair and various tattoos on his arms and back.
When last seen he was dressed in a blue denim jacket and a prison uniform of grey shirt and trousers.
He had previously lived in Australia, where he established his "history of violence", and was also known to have connections in the Tokoroa, Turangi and Taumarunui areas.
His escape, the second by an inmate from a prison working party in three weeks, has Corrections Minister Judith Collins demanding answers from her department.
In Parliament yesterday she said the escapes were unacceptable.
"Not one escape is acceptable and that is why this minister is going to hold people to account for their actions and inactions," she said.
"I am confident that the department understands that my expectations are significantly higher than those of the previous minister."
Prison officers said having a second dangerous inmate flee from an outside work party showed how badly the system was working.
Beven Hanlon, of the prison officers' union, the Corrections Association, said alarm bells should be ringing on the assessment programme for prisoners assigned to work outside.
"Clearly it is weighted too far in favour of the prisoner."
- NZPA
