Samoa’s most wanted and the longest escaped criminal, Pati Chong Nee, continues to evade authorities and remains on the run for five years and three months.

Chong Nee has been on the wanted list of the Samoa Police, Prisons, and Corrections Services (S.P.P.C.S.) since January 2019, after he broke out of prison.

His disappearance has led to a number of theories about his whereabouts. These include his death in a secluded part of the country as well as assuming a different identity and relocating to American Samoa.

There continues to be ongoing and various theories about his whereabouts and attempts to get a comment from Police recently were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo in his last interview with this newspaper about Chong Nee last year in August, said it's possible serial burglar and robber Chong Nee, who has been on the run for over four years, has fled the country.

He said although he is confident about the effectiveness of Samoa's border security enforced by the Police with partner agencies, they are of the view that this scenario on the whereabouts of Chong Nee is possible. 

The Commissioner was asked for comment on the serial burglar and robber due to reports of new leads on the whereabouts of the prison escapee.

"In the meantime, there are no new leads and there have been no new leads recently but we do receive information here and there from members of the public but we filter all that information," said Auapaau. "Most of them end up wrong, that's why we always have to filter any information we receive.

"There is a possibility that he has fled the country, but we will still keep an eye out and if by any chance he has indeed left the country, we liaise with overseas authorities to bring him back to Samoa."

Asked if the authorities will abandon the cases that have been linked to the prison escapee, the Commissioner said: "They [cases] will never be dropped."

Deputy Police Commissioner, Papalii Monalisa Tiai-Keti also added at the time that they will not abandon the search for the serial burglar and robber.

"We are still continuing investigations on that case. Police will not abandon it and so investigations are still ongoing," she said. "There have been no recent tips or leads on it but the case has not been closed and Chong Nee is still wanted by police.

“We continue to seek the support of the public in relaying any information of Pati Chong Nee’s whereabouts or anyone with information that may lead to his arrest."

Papalii added that the Police had a lead two years ago on the criminal's whereabouts, but it was executed without any success and he remains at large.