Manhunt Continues for Escaped Tongan Detainee Paea Teu After Alleged Stabbing of Border Force Staff
A massive police operation has so far failed to locate 28-year-old Tongan national Paea Teu, who remains at large following a violent escape from immigration custody in Sydney.
Teu, an immigration detainee due for deportation after overstaying his visa, allegedly stabbed one Australian Border Force (ABF) contractor and assaulted another before fleeing from a car en route to Sydney Airport around 3.40am on Thursday.
According to Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser, the detainee managed to free himself while in transit and launch the attack on both the driver and passenger in the vehicle.
“We believe while he was in the vehicle, he’s assaulted both the driver and passenger, allowing him to escape the car,” Glasser said.
A 54-year-old man sustained stab wounds to the neck and cheek, while a 36-year-old contractor suffered other injuries during the incident. Both men were transported to Westmead Hospital and remain in a stable condition.
Police launched an intensive search operation in the Harris Park area, where Teu was last seen fleeing on foot. The dog unit was deployed, and investigators collected key evidence from the scene, including clothing, documents, and a sharp object believed to have been used in the attack.
Teu is described a Tongan national, with a tanned complexion, large build, around 180cm tall, unshaven with black hair and dark eyes. Authorities have issued a strong warning to the public not to approach him under any circumstances and to contact police immediately if sighted.
On Friday, NSW Police, assisted by the dog unit, acted on information suggesting Teu was hiding at a residence on Duncansby Crescent in St Andrews, southwest Sydney. A perimeter was established, and officers entered the property, but Teu was not found.
The Australian Border Force has paused all transport and escort operations pending an internal investigation into the security breach. Whether Teu was handcuffed at the time of the escape is still under investigation.
Teu is known to frequent areas in Sydney’s southwest, particularly Mount Pritchard. Police have maintained a heightened presence across the region and are appealing to the public for any information that may lead to his capture.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the handling and security of immigration detainees during transfers, with authorities facing increasing scrutiny over how such a violent escape was able to occur.
