Prisoner, Michael Graeme Rennie, 43, on run from Lotus Glen prison farm
Police have released a photo of red tractor similar to an agricultural vehicle used by a Lotus Glen inmate to escape the low security section of the Far North Queensland jail on Sunday.
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Police have released a photo of red tractor similar to an agricultural vehicle used by a Lotus Glen inmate to escape the low security section of the Far North Queensland jail on Sunday.
Police and Queensland Corrective Services officers are searching for 43-year-old Michael Graeme Rennie, serving time for offences of violence and dishonesty, who absconded from Lotus Glen Low Custody Correctional Centre on June 1.
Queensland Police Service said Rennie should not be approached.
Anyone who suspects they have seen him is urged to call the police on triple-0.
Rennie is currently serving 6 years 3 months 23 days for a range of offences including serious assault, motor vehicle offences, theft and burglary offences and drugs and weapons offences, according to a spokesman for Queensland Corrective Services.
Detective Inspector Jason Chetham said this was the first documented instance of a prisoner escaping in a tractor which had yet to be found on Monday afternoon.
“I haven’t heard that one before, but there had obviously been prisoners abscond from the correction centre up there in the past,” he said.
Detective Inspector Chetham said a headcount discovered Rennie missing at 11.55am on Sunday after he was last seen at 10.20am, but police wouldn’t comment on QCS procedures at the jail.
Police didn’t say how far into his 6 year sentence but it is understood the inmate was at the tail end of a custodial term given he was housed within the minimum security section of the facility.
“They’re up there using this farm equipment, these farm vehicles. So I guess the temptation is always there for them to use them,” he said.
Rennie is described as having a light build, fair complexion and hair, blue eyes and is 174cm and 56kg.
He has a number of distinctive markings on his body including multiple dog bites and scars on his left arm.
He is also heavily tattooed with a gun tattoo on left shoulder; dragon and skull on right shoulder; a clown with a gun on left ribs, a gargoyle, demon holding a skull with horns and three names on his left arm, Celtic design, skull clown, full sleeve on forearm and knuckle dusters on right arm.
On Monday Queensland Police Service shared an image of a red Massey tractor with an attached front bucket, similar to that pictured above.
Police stated the prisoner was last seen driving the tractor while conducting work duties at the low security prison farm.
Anyone with information for police can contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24 hours per day or call 131 444.
Information about crimes can also be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000.
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Originally published as Prisoner, Michael Graeme Rennie, 43, on run from Lotus Glen prison farm
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