Search continues for missing prisoner

Escaped prisoner Tony Polwart. Photo / NZPA

Up to 20 police, some of them armed, are searching the area around Auckland Prison at Paremoremo after an inmate cut his way through a double perimeter fence and escaped today.

The Corrections Department has launched a review after Kevin James Polwart escaped from a lower security unit in the inmate employment workshop at the prison's west division sometime this morning.

The escape was noticed just before midday.

Police say Polwart, described as a 49-year-old Maori, 165cm tall, and of medium build, should not be approached.

He was eight years into a sentence for the armed robbery of a security van and related offences.

Local residents were urged to check their homes and vehicles and anyone finding their homes insecure should contact police before going inside.

Police warned their search could cause traffic delays in the area.

Details of the escape would not be able to be fully determined until a review into the escape had been completed, but it appeared Polwart managed to break through the perimeter fence in the workshop, Corrections national operations manager Robin Benefield said.

"Public safety is our absolute concern, and we have immediately instigated a review into the circumstances surrounding the escape," he said.

"We are obviously extremely concerned at this breach of security, and we are working closely with police as they undertake a search for this prisoner.

"One escape is one too many. We will be looking closely to see what exactly occurred so that we are able to put in place measures to stop it occurring again."

Mr Benefield could say how long it had taken before it was noticed that Polwart had escaped, nor why it took up to two hours to tell residents of the escape.

In 2001 Polwart escaped from Rimutaka Prison and was on the run for six weeks before he was recaptured in Porirua, north of Wellington.

At the time he was serving 10 years for aggravated robbery when he and his brother stole $600,000 in a security van robbery at Paraparaumu.

Police North Shore City area commander Les Paterson said it was not known if Polwart was still in the area.

"There was a window of time between when he was last seen and when the police search commenced that would have allowed for a considerable amount of ground to be covered on foot," Mr Paterson said.

"The area is surrounded by bush, estuaries and rural lifestyle blocks making the search slow and difficult."

Mr Paterson said if Polwart was not found by nightfall police would stay in the area overnight to provide reassurance for residents and a rapid response capability for any sightings.

- NZPA