Tayside residents are still being urged to be on the lookout despite reports that a dangerous escaped convict is no longer in the area.
The hunt for Lee Cyrus has now been taken up by forces across the UK after he was allegedly caught on CCTV in Preston, Lancashire.
The footage was taken minutes after a man matching his description made sexual advances to two young girls.
A UK-wide alert has since been launched to track down the man, who officers have already admitted could be anywhere. They believe he could be sleeping rough and travelling ”extensively”.
Tayside Police revealed last week that they believed Cyrus had not been in the area ”for a number of days”.
However, officers are still encouraging members of the public to report any sightings.
Community engagement officer PC Euan Mitchell posted on his Twitter account on Saturday: ”Lots of alleged sightings of wanted male Lee Cyrus over the last few days. Please continue to report any sightings or suspicious activity. ”
Cyrus, also known as Ivan Leach, sparked one of the biggest manhunts in Tayside Police history last week after specialist search teams, a firearms squad, a helicopter and even off-duty officers descended upon Perth.
They searched Kinnoull Hill for two days without success, after an officer spotted a man matching the criminal’s description.
Tayside Police want to question Cyrus in connection with two serious offences that took place in Perth earlier this month.
A 68-year-old woman was injured during an attempted robbery at her home in the Bridgend area on October 14.
Shortly after, in the early hours of October 15, a young woman was sexually assaulted in her own home by an intruder.
The two incidents, together with a spate of sneak-in thefts in the same area, have seen residents living in fear for days.
Police patrols in the city have been increased in a bid to allay fears, though residents have been urged not to venture out alone after dark and to ensure their houses are secure at all times.
Rumours of sightings of Cyrus have since moved to the Angus area, with speculation reaching its peak over the weekend.
These have been firmly denied and a spokeswoman from Tayside Police said: ”No recent positive sightings have been reported. Our advice for the foreseeable future is to secure any windows and doors in properties.”
A number of incidents in Angus had been linked to Cyrus’ whereabouts online, including a report of dangerous driving in Arbroath on Saturday and an alleged assault the night previous.
However, The Courier understands these reports have not been linked by police.