Escapee Jake Mark Pearce back in police custody

UPDATE: A prisoner who allegedly fled police and spent 12 days on the run was found in a house where a gun was uncovered.

Picture: PATRICK GEE

UPDATE: A PRISONER who allegedly fled police and spent 12 days on the run was found in a house where a gun was uncovered.

Jake Mark Pearce, of Maydena, is expected to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Friday charged with breaching bail, trafficking in a controlled substance, escaping lawful custody and possessing a firearm.

The first two charges relate to offences he allegedly committed on August 31, the day of his initial arrest. An internal police review into Pearce’s alleged escape is ongoing.

The 21-year-old was arrested by members of Southern Drug Investigation Services, Glenorchy CIB and Hobart CIB without incident at Risdon Vale about 11am on Thursday.

Detective Inspector Troy Morrisby said despite the nature of Pearce’s charges, police believed he did not pose a “significant risk” to the public.

“He wasn’t actually physically in possession of the firearm when police arrested him, but a firearm has been located and there will be a firearms-related offence proceeded with,” he said.

“There’s no indication at this point in time … that he’s been actively committing crimes during the past 12 days.

“If we thought there was significant risk to the public, we would have certainly shared that information at the earliest opportunity.”

A woman known to police at the Risdon Vale home will face a charge of harbouring a person unlawfully at large.

POLICE BELIEVE ESCAPEE STILL IN THE STATE

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‘NOT TOO LATE’ FOR ESCAPEE TO SURRENDER

A police officer searches the area around the University Rose Garden, next to the Hobart Aquatic Centre during the search for Jake Mark Pearce on August 31. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Pearce is accused of fleeing police custody while blood tests were being performed at the Royal Hobart Hospital on August 31.

He was not handcuffed at the time as he had been “fully co-operative”.

Inspector Morrisby said on Thursday it was the first time the Risdon Vale address had been searched since the investigation started. He confirmed it was not in the area Pearce was initially thought to be hiding in.

“We conducted a series of searches based as part of a co-ordinated investigation and knew he would be located in a matter of time,” Inspector Morrisby said.

“We had been searching another area and we feel very confident that he had been in that area for the majority of the 12 days, but the address we searched today wasn’t in that particular area.”

Police did not reveal Pearce had allegedly fled officers until 20 hours after the initial alert was sent out — instead saying only that he had been sighted in the CBD and his location was being sought as part of an ongoing investigation.

A police officer next to the Railway Roundabout during the August 31 search. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Dozens of officers on foot and in vehicles searched central Hobart aided by the Westpac rescue helicopter immediately after he allegedly escaped.

The pursuit spanned the Royal Hobart Hospital and Menzies Research Institute precinct, Macquarie Point, the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre and the Queen’s Domain area.

“There’s a fine line between taking due diligence and unnecessarily alarming members of the public,” Inspector Morrisby said in relation to the limited information made public.

“We were undertaking everything we could at the time to try and resolve the incident as quickly as we could.”

EARLIER: A WANTED Maydena man who allegedly fled police custody almost two weeks ago has been arrested in Risdon Vale.

Jake Mark Pearce, who allegedly escaped “accompanying police” un-handcuffed at the Royal Hobart Hospital on August 31, is expected to appear in court later today charged with escaping lawful custody.

He will also appear on the breach of bail charge he was arrested for on the day of his alleged escape.

The 21-year-old was arrested by members of Tasmania Police’s Southern Drug Investigation Services, Glenorchy CIB and Hobart CIB without incident about 11am today.

Detective Inspector Troy Morrisby said a woman at the address was assisting police with their inquiries relating to allegedly “harbouring a person unlawfully at large”.

“We’d like to thank the community for information provided throughout the last 12 days while we’ve been searching for him,” Inspector Morrisby said.

“I would also like to reassure the community that at no time were they at risk due to his escape.

“We conducted a series of searches based as part of a co-ordinated investigation and knew he would be located in a matter of time.”