Two prisoners who escaped from the Wellington District Court early this morning have been recaptured but a third is still on the run.
Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Cotter, Wellington CIB, says Lance Roy Seymore Ludwig and Sonny Pritchard were caught in Khandallah just before 1pm after a tip-off from a member of the public. They have been charged with escaping from custody and will appear in the Wellington District Court tomorrow morning.
A caller rang police about 12.25pm saying three men matching the description of the escaped prisoners had been seen walking up the lower end of Onslow Road, Khandallah.
Police flooded the area and caught two of the inmates a short time later. The third escaper, Daniel Minogue, fled into nearby bush and is still missing.
Detective Senior Sergeant Cotter says within minutes of Ludwig and Pritchard's capture police were advised a black Toyota Land Cruiser had been stolen from the driveway of a Khandallah house. It's a 2003 model, registration BQL777.
"We can't rule out the possibility that Minogue is travelling in this vehicle," he says. "We're appealing for sightings of both Minogue and the Land Cruiser.
Minogue, formerly of Taupo, is a male Maori, 23 years old, with long black hair, brown eyes, copper complexion, moustache and goatee beard. He is 180cm tall, of thin build, and has tattoos of a tui bird and a Maori design on his upper right arm.
When last seen he was wearing prison clothing - a navy blue and grey crew neck sweat shirt with Rimutaka Prison written on the back and navy blue track pants.
Sightings of Minogue or the vehicle should be reported immediately to police.
Police are still investigating the circumstances of the escape which happened about 7.45am this morning.
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