Incredibly, it seems the breakout was discovered only after the prisoners returned to the jail.

Two men wearing prison greens held up a Domino’s Pizza outlet at Kelso early on Saturday morning.

Staff were forced to the ground as the armed men raided the shop till before fleeing with a small amount of cash.

They fled in a Toyota Hi-Lux 4WD which had been reported stolen on the previous Tuesday.

The vehicle was found abandoned near the Shooters Hill Correctional Centre at Oberon on Saturday afternoon.

The Western Advocate understands the prisoners had escaped from Shooters Hill before holding up the Domino’s outlet and returning to the prison.

However, neither police nor Corrective Services staff are willing to elaborate on circumstances surrounding the suspected breakout at this stage.

A Corrective Services spokesman yesterday told the Advocate that they could not comment while police investigations were continuing.

“The problem is, we’re in the same position as police,” he said.

“Police are in the middle of an investigation so we can’t comment at this stage.

“We can’t cut across a police investigation – we have to let it run its course.”

However, the spoeksman confirmed Corrective Services had been notified of the investigation over the weekend and staff are assisting police with their inquiries.

The Advocate understands police are also investigating possible links between the escapees and other break and enters reported in the Oberon region over the past week.

Detectives and crime scene officers have attended the Domino’s outlet and are reviewing closed circuit television footage from the store.