Prison escapee captured after 50 days on the run

The estranged son of a serial prison escapee is pleased his father has been captured after 50 days on the run.

Kevin Polwart was arrested in a park near Karangahape Rd in central Auckland at 9.40am yesterday after police received information from the public.

The 49-year-old later pleaded guilty in the North Shore District Court to one charge of escaping from custody.

Polwart had left police a note on a concrete slab saying "catch me if you can" before cutting his way through a steel perimeter fence to break out of Auckland Prison on December 16. It was believed Polwart was going to great lengths to avoid detection and that he had fled up north to family or was staying with friends in Wellington.

In 1999, he robbed a security van, stealing $600,000 and was jailed for 10 years. However, in 2001 he escaped for 41 days during which time he held up another security van, taunted police and updated the media on his movements. He was sentenced to a further six years when recaptured and was 14 months from parole when he escaped at the end of last year.

The Herald informed Polwart's son Darryn, a US Army combat engineer, of his father's capture.

"That's excellent," he said from Texas. "I'm very happy to hear that. I'm in America, I have nothing to do with him."

The 23-year-old, who has spent three years in Iraq, has not been back to New Zealand since his family moved to the US when he was a teenager.

He has said Polwart had lost the right to be called "Dad" because he "prioritised his selfish agendas over the duties he had to his children".

In court yesterday Polwart's appearance had changed from the police mugshot issued, his head was shaved and he had no moustache. His lawyer Mike Levett said although the case "might appear straightforward for sentencing today" he asked for it to be put off so he could get more information on Polwart's movements while on the run. Judge Barbara Morris remanded Polwart in custody for sentencing on February 9.

Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby wouldn't comment on how police managed to catch Polwart.

"It didn't just happen, we've been working on it for a while. He's a bit of an egotistical character, he'll probably feed on the media attention."

Mr Libby said police arrested Polwart with no hassle.

"He didn't put up a fight. He was resigned to the fact he was going back to prison."