Fugitive turns himself in after running for almost 30 years

Historic Grafton Jail, Grafton, NSW, Australia.

Also known as the Grafton Correctional Center and the Grafton Intake and Transient Center.

(CNN) -

A fugitive who spent nearly 30 years on the run after allegedly using a saw blade and bolt cutters to escape prison turned himself in to Australian police.

The man escaped from a correctional facility during the night of July 31, 1992, according to a statement from the New South Wales (NSW) Police.

"At that time, efforts to locate the man were unsuccessful," the statement published Wednesday read.

The man's name is Darko Desic, a NSW police spokeswoman confirmed to CNN on Thursday.

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When he escaped he was 35 years old.

At the time of turning himself in at the Dee Why police station on Sunday, he was 64, the statement continues.

Desic has now been arrested and charged with escaping.

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"Police will allege that the man used tools including a hacksaw blade and bolt cutters to free himself from incarceration in 1992," the statement read.

Desic appeared in court on Tuesday.

He was formally denied bail and will appear in court again on September 28, police said.

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CNN has not been able to reach Desic's legal representatives for comment.

Desic's journey in Australia

CNN affiliate 9News reported that Desic had escaped from police custody in 1992 because he did not want to be deported to Yugoslavia, which was embroiled in civil war at the time.

Since escaping, he has worked as a maintenance assistant on odd jobs and called himself "Dougie," 9News reported.

Desic had recently been sleeping rough in the sand dunes at Avalon on Sydney's North Beaches, 9News added.

Belle Higgins, a local resident, created a fundraising page to help Desic.

The campaign raised more than 6,000 Australian dollars (US $ 4,390) in four hours.