Police yesterday warned Dunedin business owners to be vigilant following several commercial burglaries during the weekend they say could be linked to Bowler-Moncur.
The 44-year-old is wanted for dozens of commercial burglaries across the South Island in the past two months, and is also sought by police in relation to the robbery of the Westpac Gardens branch in North Rd, Dunedin, on July 14.
Bowler-Moncur is being treated as armed and dangerous after a gun went missing from a vehicle he allegedly stole near Motueka. Police have warned the public not to approach him.
Officers in patrol cars were searching for Bowler-Moncur in the Dunedin suburb of Brockville yesterday, near an address a tip led the armed offenders squad to last Thursday.
Detective Sergeant Rob Hanna said two commercial burglaries in Dunedin during the weekend appeared to follow the pattern of other burglaries attributed to Bowler-Moncur, who was the main suspect in at least 14 burglaries in Dunedin, three in Queenstown, and others in Cromwell, Nelson and Motueka.
He has been on the run since July 21, when he failed to appear in the Dunedin District Court on burglary charges.
He was arrested in Motueka the next day on suspicion of committing several burglaries there, but escaped from the Motueka police station.
Det Sgt Hanna said police believed Bowler-Moncur was still in the Dunedin area and was probably being harboured by associates.
Any sightings should be reported immediately to police via 111 or the nearest police station, he said.
