Manhunt Closing In On Escaped N.Y. Felons

Authorities continued the manhunt for two convicted felons who escaped from a New York maximum security facility more than two weeks ago. According to CNN, Richard Matt and David Sweat may be back in upstate New York, with a witness reportedly spotting an individual running into the woods after breaking into a cabin in the small town of Mountain View. The acting Franklin County (N.Y.) District Attorney Glenn MacNeill has confirmed the witness report, and authorities are now linking the cabin burglary to the two escaped felons, who were both serving time on murder charges.

"We all know these guys are extremely dangerous and at this point in time could be very desperate," MacNeill told local news station WPTZ. He urged residents in the area to remain alert as the search once again gains momentum.

This is a sudden shift in the manhunt, which over the weekend was focused in the southwest of New York on the New York-Pennsylvania border, where authorities believed Matt and Sweat may have been hiding after a witness reported a possible sighting of the two fugitives in Friendship, New York. However, that search wrapped up Sunday with Matt and Sweat still on the run. Maj. Michael Cerretto of the New York State Police told reporters at a Sunday afternoon press conference that more than 300 officers participated in the search at the New York-Pennsylvania border.

Now, authorities are back in rural northern New York, less than an hour from the maximum security facility from where the two fugitives escaped on June 6. Following the break-in at the cabin in Mountain View, authorities are centering their search in the town of Owls Head in Franklin County.

Vermont State Police are also assisting in the wide-scale search. WPTZ reports that Vermont Tactical Support Team mobilized late on Sunday. The search area is only about an hour from the rural New York-Vermont border.

The manhunt has left upstate New York residents on edge, and the activity is only expected to increase following this possible connection between a cabin break-in and the escaped felons. Residents of Owls Head have stated that the area is buzzing with activity as a command post has been set up in the area, CNN reported.

But what's most strange about this manhunt is the fact that, if the sighting turns out to be true, how and why Matt and Sweat ended back at the area from where they escaped. Over the course of this two-week-long manhunt, authorities have publicly stated that the two fugitives were already nearing either Mexico or Canada right now — what are the chances that they are still right here in New York State?

According to authorities in New York, it's a very good chance.

Images: Getty Images (2)