PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. — Authorities say an escaped murderer who has eluded capture since breaking out of a southeastern Pennsylvania prison a week and a half ago slipped out of the search area, changed his appearance, stole a dairy delivery van, abandoning it miles away and remained at large.

Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said Sunday that Danelo Souza Cavalcante stole the unlocked van that had the keys inside sometime Saturday night about three-quarters of a mile from the northern perimeter of the search area where hundreds of officers had been searching for him.

Baily’s Dairy said on Facebook the delivery van was stolen between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday “while we were still here working.”

The theft wasn’t noticed for hours, and in the meantime Cavalcante, 34, traveled more than 20 miles northeast to East Pikeland Township and Phoenixville. Shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday he went to an East Pikeland Township home of a person he had worked with years ago and asked to meet with him, police said.

The homeowner, who was at dinner with his family and didn’t respond, called police after returning home and reviewing his doorbell video. Shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, police said, Cavalcante went to the Phoenixville area home of another former work associate, who wasn’t home, police said.

Doorbell video images showed Cavalcante to be now clean-shaven and wearing a yellow or green hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants and white shoes, police said. The stolen van was found at 10:40 a.m. Sunday in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township, about 15 miles west of Phoenixville.

Bivens said he believed Cavalcante abandoned the vehicle at least in part because it was low on fuel. While law enforcement was searching the area for signs of him authorities were concerned he would try to obtain another vehicle.

Cavalcante escaped from the Chester County Prison while awaiting transfer to state prison Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police he’s wanted in a killing in his home country of Brazil.