The search for two prisoners who fled a corrections facility in north Queensland on Christmas Day has entered its 10th day.
The pair is on the run after escaping a low-security prison farm connected to the Townsville Correctional Centre on December 25, 2022.
One of the escapees, Kristy Lisa Barnes, is currently serving a 16-month sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The other, Pearl Elizabeth May O'Neill, is on remand after being charged with property offences.
Townsville Superintendent Chris Lawson said police were confident the prisoners would be found.
"We're looking for people who break into people's houses and steal cars, so that's something we do quite regularly, and we regularly catch up with people fairly quickly," he said.
Public warned to call triple-0
Mr Lawson said officers from the Townsville Crime Investigation Bureau and tactical crime squad have been deployed to the search effort.
"We have our units go to a number of people's houses, whether they're relatives or friends, or wherever our intel points to them being located."
He said once located, the prisoners faced being charged with escaping lawful custody and would remain in the high-security facility for the remainder of their sentence.
Queensland Police have warned the public not to approach the escapees if they are spotted in the community, but to immediately call triple-zero.
Six escapees in six months
The escapees are the fifth and sixth prisoners to flee the Townsville prison farm in the past six months, after four men escaped in 2022.
Queensland Corrective Services said the latest escape is the subject of a full investigation.
"QCS is constantly reassessing the security of correctional centres and the security level of prisoners," QCS said in a statement.
"Prior to being placed in a low security facility, such as a prison farm, all prisoners are subject to a detailed risk assessment where a range of factors are taken into consideration such as sentence length, risk to the public, and behaviour."
"Absconds occur occasionally from low security facilities, which place more responsibility on prisoners to abide by the rules."
