Reward offered to help capture prisoner who escaped police custody in Harlem

HARLEM (WABC) -- Reward money totalling $12,500 is being offered to help apprehend the man who escaped police custody while being taken from a Harlem NYPD precinct to Central Booking.

The Chief of Detective's Office will pay a reward of $10,000 and a reward of $2,500 is being offered by The Police Foundation.

Tareek Arnold, 23, was in handcuffs being transported from the 32nd Precinct stationhouse in Harlem June 23rd when he pushed an officer and ran away, police said.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Wednesday the department is taking extra measures to prevent future escapes.

"We immediately sent out anyone arrested for murder or attempted murder or serious crime to be put in leg shackles so that wouldn't happen again," said Boyce. "It's something we got away from at some point. So that will be addressed through department disciplinary systems as we go forward."

Boyce added, "The officer did put forth an effort to get him back, I think that was in video, so that will be taken into consideration. training and some discipline are in order, but we will go forward once we get Mr. Arnold in."

"Every one of his gang members have been talked to, we have knocked on their doors," said Boyce. "Some of them are out of state, most of them are in state. We have a very tight ring centering on Upper Manhattan and some neighboring states."

Police believe that Arnold shot a man in a bodega on June 8th and they say they have video to prove it.

But more recent video shows Arnold running from police with his hands cuffed behind him.

The police couldn't catch the much younger and motivated Arnold. You see him run from the 32nd Precinct, far ahead of the detectives who were trailing him.

"I don't know how someone can run that fast with his hands behind his back," said Alicia Yarborough, an eyewitness.

Police say he has six prior arrests and served four years in prison on a 2010 weapons possession charge.

Arnold was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, gray sweatpants and gray sneakers.