Prisoners on the run named, police warning to anyone hiding trio as armed police swarm car

Several police cars and a hovering helicopter catch up with a black SUV on the north side of the Johnstones Hill tunnel. Photo / Supplied

Police are warning anyone hiding any of the three prisoners who escaped custody on an Auckland motorway yesterday could be prosecuted.

Two people have been arrested during the manhunt on unrelated charges.

Police earlier named the three inmates who escaped from a prison van as Zane Hepi, 24, Billy Fepulea’i, 43, and 45-year-old Joseph Ng Wun.

Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Armstrong this afternoon issued a warning to anyone who may be concealing information about the trio’s whereabouts.

“Our focus remains on locating the prisoners; however, we would like to remind people that anyone who is helping these men avoid police could be liable for criminal charges,” he said.

The three prisoners on the run (from left to right): Zane Hepi, 24, Billy Fepulea’i, 43, and 45-year-old Joseph Ng Wun. Photos / NZ Police

Zane Hepi. Photo / NZ Police

The trio fled on foot from a transport van on the South-Eastern highway yesterday afternoon at 2.40pm, before stealing a vehicle from a member of the public.

They were being transported to Mt Eden Corrections Facility.

According to a police spokesperson, police were alerted to a vehicle of interest in Warkworth shortly after 2pm on Saturday.

A black SUV is pulled over by police on the north side of the Johnstones Hill tunnel. Photo / Supplied

The vehicle was believed to be connected to the prisoners’ escape.

Eyewitnesses saw several police cars and a hovering helicopter just on the north side of the Johnstones Hill tunnel, chasing a black SUV.

Armed Police stopped the car on State Highway 1, near Pohuehue, without any issue.

Billy Fepulea’i. Photo / NZ Police

The police spokesperson said two people have been arrested on matters unrelated to the escape and are helping the police with inquiries.

“Police are appealing to the public as work continues to locate three remand prisoners who escaped custody in Auckland,” Armstrong said this morning.

“Inquiries have been ongoing to locate the trio, by a dedicated team of officers, and we are today appealing to the public for information to help us.”

Joseph Ng Wun. Photo / NZ Police

The men have connections across Counties Manukau and Auckland City, police said.

Fepulea’i was in court last year over an assault on a police officer that was filmed and later shared on social media.

The incident happened on January 28 on Tāmaki Drive near Mission Bay and left the officer injured.

Fepulea’i was later charged with assault of police, resisting police, possession for supply of methamphetamine, injuring with intent to injure, escaping police custody, possession of utensils for consuming methamphetamine, theft under $500 and procuring methamphetamine.

Some of the charges related to past incidents.

A motorist who saw Friday’s escape unfold spoke to the Herald this morning.

“I saw three people run across the on-ramp a few cars ahead of me,” said the man, who did not want to be named.

“Then I saw the [Corrections] van pulling over with the back door wide open.

“I didn’t realise they were escaping until I saw the van - so just wondered why they were running across the road.

“They looked pretty happy, though.”

Last night, a woman caught up in the drama spoke to the Herald about an escapee leaping into her car.

One of the men, who she described as being “covered in face tattoos”, jumped into the back seat of their car before yelling “Go, go, go, go!”

“I just had a full-on panic attack,” she said.

“We were really scared.

“I was fully paralysed and I didn’t know what to do.”

Based on police photos released today, the man was believed to have been Zane Hepi.

The woman said the man hadn’t managed to close the door of their car before they swerved into the truck lane to the left and sped off as fast as they could, causing the man to fall out onto the road.

“He couldn’t get the door shut and couldn’t get his legs in at that speed, so just fell out,” she said.

“We didn’t know what to do, so we just kept driving.

The Corrections van at the scene after the escape.

Three inmates who escaped from a prison van were being taken to Mt Eden Corrections Facility. Photo / NZ Herald

Superintendent Shanan Gray also appealed for anyone who witnessed the escape to contact police as soon as possible using the 105 phone service.

“This is an ongoing incident and further updates will be provided once they become available,” he said.

A Corrections spokesperson said police were informed immediately.

“We encourage anyone with information about the prisoners’ location to contact police on 111,” they said.

“Public safety is our top priority.

“Any escape is unacceptable, and an immediate review into how this incident occurred will be carried out.”