Police searching for man who escaped custody at East Harlem Duane Reade

EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- Police are searching for a man who slipped away from officers in East Harlem after he was suspected of stealing from a store.

Police were in the process of arresting him when he somehow broke free of his handcuffs. It happened so quickly they didn't even have a chance to get his name.

According to the NYPD, around 12:30 p.m., police responded to a call from security at Duane Reade, 1490 Madison Ave. in East Harlem.

Officers handcuffed the man, yet somehow as he was being placed into a patrol car, he took off running eastbound on 102nd Street.

Police marrowed their search to the George Washington Carver Houses complex.

This is now the eighth prisoner since June to escape NYPD custody. On December 29th, 32-year-old Daniel Ortiz, arrested for shoplifting at Macy's Herald Square escaped while still in shackles. The officer guarding Ortiz was suspended for talking on his cellphone.

On October 25th, 19-year-old Narciso Rosario escaped while handcuffed after he was pulled over in the Bronx for having drugs in his car.

September 20th, 19-year-old Dwayne McClearly, also in handcuffs, escaped from the back of a squad car in Crown Heights. He was back in custody the same day.

And on June 20th, 16-year-old Rhamar Perkins escaped from the 32nd Precinct in Brooklyn after asking to use the bathroom. The officer charged with watching him was suspended for 30 days.

All of the prisoners were eventually recaptured.

Sunday's escapee is described as wearing all green clothing, in his 20s and is about 5'11".