Five boys have escaped from a Child Support Centre managed by the Children’s Authority.

In a statement, the Authority urged relatives or friends of the minors to immediately contact police if they know of their whereabouts, reminding that it is an offence to withhold such information.

“According to Section 47 of the Children Act, 2012 “Where a person– (a) knowingly assists or induces, directly or indirectly, a child to escape from the person to whose care he is committed; or (b) knowingly harbours, conceals or prevents a child who has so escaped from returning to such person, or knowingly assists in so doing, is liable on summary conviction, to a fine of three thousand dollars or to imprisonment for six months,” it said.

Anyone with knowledge of the boys’ whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Police at 999 or the Authority’s hotlines at 996 or 800-2014.

Since the incident, the Authority says it has taken the necessary corrective action to improve the security at the Centres.