$5K reward offered in search for Indiana State Prison escapees

Police in Indiana and Michigan continued to search for two escapees from the Indiana State Prison and hope an anonymous tip line will help encourage the public to report any sightings. A multi-thousand dollar reward for information has also been offered.

Three inmates -- two convicted murderers and a rapist -- escaped Sunday from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.

One of the escapees, murderer Charles Smith, was captured at gunpoint at 5:40 a.m. Monday in Grand Beach, Mich., by a member of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's security detail.

Police believe a second man spotted nearby was Mark Booher, 46, the other convicted killer who fled the maximum-security prison Sunday morning. The third escapee, convicted rapist Lance Battreal, 45, had not been spotted since the prison break.

Officials said Tuesday that Smith was back inside the Indiana State Prison, which remains on a lockdown status.

Prison staff have been replacing the broken bars and gates in the tunnels where the three found their way out of the prison.

Tuesday afternoon, officials asked anyone with information about the escapees call toll free (800) 78CRIME (800-782-7463) or go online to www.wetip.com and click on "Submit a tip" near the top of the page.

If the information leads to their capture, the individual could receive up to $5,000. All information received remains completely confidential and the individual reporting remains anonymous.

Police in Grand Beach on Tuesday were taking a more low-key but still visible approach in their search for two escapees.

Unlike Monday, vehicles leaving the village were not searched and there were no police officers combing the woods in four wheel drives or law enforcement boats roaming the shoreline.

There was a still a high concentration of officers from several departments patrolling the hilly lakefront countryside.

Undercover officers were also out and about keeping their eyes peeled.

Grand Beach Police Chief Dan Schroeder said it's not known if Booher or Battreal were still in the area.

"Unless I know something definitively, we have to assume they are," Schroeder said.

Feeling that none of the escapees were still around, some residents in the resort community less than 10 miles from the prison felt more relieved.

Rachelle Lo, who lives just outside Grand Beach, ventured out to the village park with her five children ages 10 months, 2, 5, 7 and 11.

She couldn't resist the weather but paid more attention to her surroundings and placed her trust in law enforcement.

"The cops are constantly out. Somebody is always driving by," Lo said.

The golf course was open again on Tuesday and taking advantage of that was 82-year-old John Raspanti.

Raspanti said he overcame his concerns by having four other men to play with.

"There's safety in numbers. We'll see how it goes," he said.

Schroeder said there were a few reported sightings Monday night and early Tuesday including one on County Road 1000 North close by in northern LaPorte County.

None of those calls panned out.

Schroeder said the ongoing search will continue at least for another 24 hours.