On Monday evening Frankston man Justin Carruth, 24, left the jail, made his way into Beechworth, and caught a taxi to Wodonga.

Corrections Victoria could not say yesterday exactly how the prisoner escaped, but The Border Mail understands the minimum security jail isn’t locked until 9pm at night, when Carruth was first missed.

Yesterday police met Melbourne-bound trains to search for the fugitive.

He had just 22 days left to serve on his sentence.

Investigators also searched three homes in Albury and Wodonga belonging to known associates of Carruth, but they found no sign of him.

He was serving a short jail sentence for theft and deception and isn’t considered dangerous.

Police believed it was likely Carruth was headed for Melbourne, where he has family.

Detective Sen-Sgt Barry McIntosh said that the man had talked to a family member from Melbourne before he escaped.

This might have spurred his decision to escape from custody so close to when he was due to be released.

On 10pm on Monday taxi driver Noel Evans dropped him off in Beechworth Road, Wodonga.

Earlier that evening Carruth had encountered cartoonist Adrian Osborne at Beechworth’s Town Hall Gardens, about four kilometres from the jail.

Mr Osborne called Carruth a cab after being told his car was broken down, and that he needed to get to Wodonga to see his girlfriend.

Mr Osborne said the man, “a fairly big guy”, was probably still wearing his prison-issue green pants, but a jacket covered his white T-shirt.

“He’s just over six foot, fairly softly spoken,’’ Mr Osborne said.

“He shakes your hand and introduces himself.”

A Corrections Victoria spokesman said that the service would investigate the escape and took such incidents seriously.

The jail houses up to 160 inmates with a low security ratings, including those who, like Carruth, are near the end of sentences.

Police have released a photo and description of the man.

Anyone with information should call 000 immediately.