An Australian deportee has been caught trying to escape hotel quarantine after using bed sheets as a rope to climb out of a window and abseil down the building.
The man was staying at a Ramada Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand when he decided to make a break for it on Monday, despite being due for release in two days.
He tied bed sheets together to create a rope and managed to scale down four storeys.
The man was staying at a Ramada Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand (pictured) when he decided to make a break for it on Monday, despite being due for release in two days
But he was caught by on-site security as he made his way out of the front gate.
He was taken into custody by police.
‘So far, we have been unable to establish what time the man absconded the facility,’ Darryn Webb, head of managed isolation and quarantine, said.
CCTV footage will be reviewed to establish he man’s movements, he said.
‘This person has put themselves and others at potential risk and their actions were unacceptable. Wilfully leaving our facilities will not be tolerated, and the appropriate action will be taken.’
Mr Webb said the COVID-19 risk to the public was low.
He tied bed sheets together to create a rope and managed to scale down four storeys (stock image pictured)
Security at the facility has been increased since the escape attempt.
New Zealand has a 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine scheme for anyone entering the country.
About 55,000 people have gone through the hotel quarantine scheme and 13 breaches have been reported.
‘These incidents are rare, and we treat them extremely seriously,’ Mr Webb said.
