Brett Maston a wanted man once again after he allegedly cut off his electronic monitoring device

One of Australia’s most notorious armed bandits is wanted again for allegedly cutting off his electronic monitoring device less than a week after he was granted home detention bail.

Brett Maston had been given bail after previously being stopped by police in the Perth suburb of Warwick allegedly carrying a gun, cash and stolen property.

He’s facing three charges over the incident, including one count of possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property.

Now police say he’s on the run again with rapid apprehension squad detectives searching for the 57-year-old who was last seen in the inner-Perth suburb of Mt Lawley about 5.50am on Monday.

He appeared in Perth Magistrates Court via video link from Hakea Prison on May 13 and had home detention bail granted after his lawyer Damien Cripps said that despite Maston’s substantial criminal record, he would be kept on the straight and narrow by his new partner who herself is on a conditional suspended imprisonment order.

Maston is due back in court to face the three charges on July 3. Maston was at one time one of the nation’s most prolific bank robbers and used the stolen cash to fund his raging heroin habit, which started when he was in prison as a teenager.

He was branded Australia’s most wanted after pulling off two escapes from custody including in 1995 when he fled Fremantle Hospital with his then girlfriend Christine Evagora when she burst into the waiting room with a shotgun and threatened guards, staff and patients.

They were dubbed Bonnie and Clyde while on the run, with Maston later proudly tattooing ‘Australia’s Most Wanted’ across his back.

He fled to the Philippines - where he married, had a son named Brett Jr and lived in an opulent Manila apartment. He was eventually deported back to Australia to answer outstanding charges in WA

Last year, Maston told The West Australian he was going straight — with the help of a Naltrexone implant and a building job through a company that finds work for former convicts.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of heroin, helping to treat addiction. WA Premier Roger Cook said on Monday he was hopeful Maston would be found soon.

“I hope the police can apprehend him as quickly as possible,” Mr Cook said. “My understanding is that he’s taken off or sawn off his GPS tracking device and that’s obviously a very serious offenceand I know the police will get onto that as soon as possible.”

Maston is about 186cm tall, with a solid build, short brown hair and brown eyes.

Any member of the public who sees him is advised not to approach him but to contact police immediately on 131 444 or via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.