Amherst – A prisoner on the run from the Sullivan County House of Correction since November 19 was arrested after seeking refuge in a shed at the Amherst Transfer Station this weekend.

Robert Hale III, 45, allegedly escaped from medium security at the county prison in Claremont on Nov. 19 by boring through a sheet rock ceiling in his cell. Hale had been awaiting trial on an armed robbery charge for allegedly holding up a Claremont Texaco station with a knife. He had been held at the jail since March 22 on $50,000 cash bail.

Police were called to the Amherst Transfer Station on Sunday morning to investigate a break-in, and discovered evidence of forced entry into one of the sheds at the dump. According to court records, a note was left inside the shed apologizing for a broken window and signed “Robert Kelly.”

Around 11 a.m., police received a call from a resident about a man walking down Schoolhouse Road in a yellow rain slicker, looking out of place. Officer Nicholas Skiba located the man, who gave the name Robert Johnson, but was identified as Hale.

HALE

“This is a perfect example of why we ask people to call us when something doesn’t seem right,” said Lyon.

Hale was arrested and charged with burglary for the break-in at the transfer station. According to records at Milford District Court, where Hale was arraigned on Monday afternoon, the suspect had allegedly stolen two knives from the shed which he had on him when he was arrested. Lyon said there might have been other items stolen as well, but declined to elaborate in order to protect the ongoing investigation.

Lyon said he believed Hale likely broke into the shed seeking shelter and is responsible for leaving the note apologizing for the window damage.

Hale was sent to Valley Street Jail in Manchester on $5,000 cash bail and is scheduled to be back in Milford District Court on Dec. 10 for a probable cause hearing. Hale will be arraigned on the charge of escape at Newport District Court on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 9 a.m.

According to a press release from the New Hampshire State Police, the multi-department effort to find Hale had included the Sullivan County sheriff's office and the house of correction, the Claremont, Amherst and Norwich, Conn., police departments, state police in New Hampshire and Connecticut, and the United States Marshals Service.

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