Police swooped on a Pembroke neighbourhood yesterday afternoon after a report that fugitive Alvone Maybury was hiding out there.

But a search of homes on The Glebe Road lasting almost four-and-a-half hours proved fruitless and a team of armed officers left the scene without having found him just before 8.30 p.m.

A Police spokesman told The Royal Gazette: "Police are still actively pursuing Maybury. At this point in time, the search has been exhausted in this area.

"As you can see, these are officers from a lot of different units. It just shows the resolve of the Bermuda Police Service in bringing this man to justice.

"We have a clear message we want to send out to the community: anyone that is found harbouring Mr. Maybury for any reason, for any length of time, will be arrested and brought before the courts."

A section of The Glebe Road close to St. Monica's Road was sealed off by Police shortly after 4 p.m.

Armed officers with sniffer dogs entered homes to hunt for the 24-year-old, who gave prison officers the slip outside Magistrates' Court on July 13.

Maybury was charged with three gun offences moments before he fled custody and hours later was posting information on Facebook about life on the run.

The Police spokesman told the media shortly before 7 p.m. last night that an "exhaustive house-to-house" search for the fugitive was being conducted by about 20 officers from Bermuda Police Service and the Department of Corrections.

"They are leaving no stone unturned as they look for Alvone Maybury and we want to make it very clear — we will find him," he said.

Neighbours stood in their yards and watched as members of the task force set up last week to hunt down Maybury entered houses close to the Yardie Kitchen restaurant.

High-ranking officers trained in negotiation techniques stood on the sidelines waiting to assist if needed.

The Police spokesman said it was necessary to cordon off the road to cars, bikes and residents on foot out of "an abundance of caution" after "specific information" was provided on Maybury's whereabouts.

He would not say where the tip-off came from but said officers were following all leads in their quest to find him.

"Let us take the opportunity to apologise to members of the community, this specific neighbourhood, who have been inconvenienced for a long period of time," he said.

"As you can imagine, there are people who are on the perimeters and they have been disadvantaged. We want to apologise for the inconvenience but we have work to do. We are asking for people's indulgence; we are asking for patience."

Locals said Police arrived quietly in several cars and began searching a white house a few doors from Yardie Kitchen.

One man told how he came out of his apartment and saw an officer pointing a rifle at a nearby property.

"I was scared," he said. "And it made me late for work."

A woman whose home was in the cordoned-off area said she thought Maybury was "long gone". "He probably jumped in the bushes and went down North Shore," she said.

Those who spoke to The Royal Gazette said they had not seen Maybury or heard that he was in the area.

Wolsey Williams, 52, returned to his apartment to find a cupboard door had been broken by officers conducting a search.

"I opened the door and I see that they kicked that," he said. "It don't really bother me. They are doing their job. I never seen him [Maybury] before. If I see him, I don't know him."

Police gave Mr. Williams a form to claim compensation for the damage and a copy of a warrant giving them permission to enter premises where Maybury might be.

The latter document, dated July 14, states that he is wanted for escaping lawful custody, possessing a firearm and ammunition and discharging a firearm.

Another man whose home was searched said he thought Police had been given false information. "Someone is playing with them, giving them false intelligence" said the 30-year-old.