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A man has been taken into police custody after allegedly escaping from a managed isolation facility in Auckland by climbing out of a fourth floor window and down a makeshift rope of sheets.
The chief of managed isolation and quarantine, Air Commodore Darryn Webb, said around 8:20 a.m. On Monday, security personnel at the Ramada site on Federal St located several tied sheets, hanging from a window in a fourth-floor room.
While the matter was being investigated, the man in that room showed up at the hotel’s front door around 8.24 a.m., he said.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
The man escaped from the Ramada on Federal Street in central Auckland.
Webb said the man was immediately taken into police custody and remains at the facility under questioning.
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“Until now, we have not been able to establish what time the man escaped from the facility.
“Police investigations are ongoing, including a CCTV review to establish the movements of the man while he was off the premises.”
Webb said the facility’s security was reviewed and immediate improvements were made.
The man returned from Australia on a deportation flight on September 16. He tested negative on the third day.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
The man escaped through a fourth-floor window in the isolation hotel.
He is on day 12 of his stay and has been asymptomatic at all times.
“No positive cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed among deportees returning from Australia.”
Webb said public health is the primary focus and his team is currently working to determine his movements while he was off the premises and how he was able to leave.
“While the exact movements of this person are still being determined, immediate investigations were conducted in the vicinity, which have not established any particular business or property entered by the fugitive at this time.
“The police investigation is at an early stage, and initial indications are that this person escaped by exiting through a fourth floor window and climbing a makeshift rope, which is clearly an extremely dangerous act.”
Webb said the man had put himself and others at risk and called his actions “unacceptable.”
“Voluntary departure from our facilities will not be tolerated and appropriate action will be taken.”
Rules were set for all returnees, Webb said, and people were expected to follow them for the entirety of their 14 days of isolation.
Webb said there have been more than 55,000 people through managed isolation and quarantine facilities.
Of that, there were nine incidents involving 13 people who escaped.
“These incidents are rare and we treat them extremely seriously.”
Although the risk to the public is very low, anyone with health concerns should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
