A prisoner charged with stealing brass plaques from an Auckland cemetery has escaped Christchurch Hospital and is on the run for a second time.
Neil Anderson was charged in November on 26 charges of theft and intentional damage for the removal of 13 plaques from Waikumete Cemetery in October.
The plaques were worth $16,814,
Anderson, 46, absconded to Christchurch after being remanded on bail in Auckland last year.
He was due to appear in Christchurch District Court this afternoon on charges of theft and intentional damage in relation to the plaques but jumped out a hospital window and took off across Hagley Park just after 5pm yesterday.
