Victoria Police ask public for help in finding missing serial rapist

Police are calling on the public in Victoria to help them find a serial rapist who has been eluding them for several weeks.

Under his conditions as a registered sex offender, Wayne Ferguson, 57, is obliged to give his police his address and phone number.

But for several weeks police have been unable to track him down.

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A warrant was issued for him on May 17, but he hasn't been seen since May 4.

Assistant Police Commissioner Chris Gilbert said if anyone sees him, they should call 000.

"We have reason to believe that he knows he is being looked for and is actively avoiding us," Gilbert said.

"If he's watching this, we certainly say hand yourself in, it's much simpler."

It is believed Ferguson was in the Ivanhoe area on May 4.

Gilbert said Ferguson was 180cm tall, medium build, with blue eyes, pale skin, and bald.

He said Ferguson had distinctive tattoos, including on his knuckles.

On his right knuckles reads the word DOPE, and the word TONY is on his left.

He also has the words MUM and DAD in a heart on his upper right arm, a dragon head on the inside of his lower left arm, a wizard on his left hand, a snake and two roses on his right hand, a scroll and hearts on his lower left leg, a peacock and starts on his lower right leg and a dragon on each side of his chest.

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The assistant commissioner said Gilbert's attempts to avoid them were a "futile exercise".

"It is inevitable that he will be caught," Gilbert said.

"It's no life to be constantly looking over your shoulder."

Because of Ferguson's violent history, Gilberts said people should call police rather than confront him.

Ferguson was given a five-year sentence in 2015 over a rape he committed in 1987.

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