Aaron Forden, 30, was caught at Silverdale, north of Auckland, about 6.45pm, police said.
Forden escaped from Mt Eden Corrections Facility on October 10.
The Auckland City Central area commander, Inspector Andrew Coster, acknowledged the work of police in apprehending Forden without incident a week after his escape.
"I'm most appreciative of the efforts of the small team of detectives that has worked solidly over the past week to track Forden and for the members of the public who contacted police about possible sightings,'' he said in a statement.
Forden would be held overnight at Auckland Central Police Station and would appear in Auckland District Court tomorrow on a charge of escaping lawful custody.
Forden became known as "Houdini" for his abilities to slip out of correctional facilities and police custody.
Forden was arrested by Auckland police on Rugby World Cup opening night while allegedly breaking into cars.
At that time, police had been searching for him for months after he allegedly rammed police patrol vehicles, burgled homes and stole cars.
He became the first man to escape from the $218m Mt Eden facility, and escaped the old Mt Eden prison in 2008 by forming a rope of knotted sheets to lower himself over barbed wire.
Forden was regarded as a master of disguise, with police issuing images of him sporting several style combinations of hair and beard.
They had also asked hairdressers to be alert for a man seeking a dye job.
