Convicted armed robber Kevin Polwart, who had managed to evade police since December 16, was recaptured today and has pleaded guilty to a charge of escaping from prison.
The 49-year-old escaped from Auckland Prison at Paremoremo, cutting through two wire perimeter fences.
He challenged police to find him, leaving the message “catch me if you can”.
A tip of from a member of the public led to Polwart’s arrest in central Auckland around 9.40am today.
Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby said the arrest went without a hitch.
“He was very cooperative and he was almost resigned to the fact he was going back to prison,” she said.
Appearing in the North Shore District Court this afternoon, Polwart pleaded guilty to one charge of escaping from prison. Police are considering other charges relating to his activities while he was on the run.
Polwart, who was eight years into a sentence for armed robbery and related offences, has broken out of Rimutaka prison in 2001.
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