KEY POINTS:
Armed police stormed an east Auckland home yesterday in their hunt for dangerous escaped prisoner Storm Hughes but narrowly missed finding him for the second time this week.
Police were told the 33-year-old was at a house in Bucklands Beach but by the time they cordoned the area off and stormed the address, their target was gone.
Hughes, who has a history of violent offending and is serving time at Springhill prison, fled from a working party on Wednesday. He was tracked to an address in Pukekohe but evaded capture. Early yesterday police received "credible reports" that he was in Buckland's Beach.
Witnesses said up to 25 police cars blocked off roads and residents were told that police were looking for an escaped prisoner.
Once the cordons were established, members of Auckland armed offenders squad called out for Hughes to surrender and then stormed the house.
Hughes is one of two prisoners police are hunting after escapes in the past month.
Lee Bell, who is due to stand trial on numerous drug and firearm charges next month, ran from the High Court on Tuesday after being declined bail.
Detective Sergeant James Watson said police had tracked Bell to several locations, including the casino. They had also seized his car on Thursday night but had been unable to catch the remand prisoner.
While police have had little luck with Hughes or Bell, they have captured four other escaped inmates in the past few weeks. One, Arai Whaakari Hema, was caught yesterday. Hema, who had been on the run since fleeing from Auckland's Paremoremo Prison last month, has been described by police as an extremely violent offender and was the subject of an intense manhunt.
Hamilton City area commander Inspector Rob Lindsay said Hema's luck ran out when a police officer saw a suspicious man walking north at the intersection with Victoria St about 12.25am.
Dressed up for a night on the town, Hema claimed to be someone else.
Mr Lindsay commended the staff members involved for removing a man from the streets who posed such a risk to members of the public.
ON THE RUN
Feb 10: Lee Richard Oswald Bell, 41, runs from the High Court after being declined bail.
Feb 11: Springhill Correctional Facility inmate Storm Bryce Hughes, 33, escapes from a building restoration work party.
RECAPTURED
Jan 19: Thomas Te Rangi 19, Darren William Snowden, 22, and Richard Thomas Joseph, 30, break out of a police van taking them to Waikeria Prison.
Jan 21: Paremoremo inmate Arai Whaakari Hema escapes from prison work party. Caught in Hamilton yesterday.
