An escaped prisoner may be in New York City, riding the subway or other public transportation systems in an attempt to “blend in,” authorities told WNBC-TV. Jerry Mercado, 25, escaped from the Carl Robinson Correctional Institution in Connecticut Jan. 7 and remained on the loose Wednesday.

“Mercado may have fled the state of Connecticut and may be hiding out in neighboring states, including the New York City metro area where a tip was generated from,” the United States Marshals said in a Tuesday press release.

Mercado was serving a three-year sentence for burglary charges when he escaped. Authorities said they thought he may have stowed away in either a police van or garbage truck when he made his getaway. Department of Correction spokesperson Karen Martucci said a lack of employees at the facility did not contribute to Mercado’s escape.

“Although we are within the early stages of this investigation, preliminary reports do not indicate that staffing levels were a contributing factor to the breach,” Martucci told The Hartford Courant. “For safety and security reasons, we do not speak publicly on staff-to-inmate ratios…This incident involves failures to follow security protocols. As a precautionary measure, security audits are underway at all of the 15 correctional facilities across the state.”

Connecticut Police called Mercado a “low-risk offender” but cautioned the public to be on the lookout for any potential sightings. The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force offered a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to Mercado’s arrest.

Mercado was described as 5 feet 4 inches and 137 pounds. Authorities said he has two visible tattoos including one on his neck that says “time waits for no one” and one on his left temple. Anyone with information was asked to call the U.S. Marshals at (877) 926-8332.

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