A double murderer who dismembered his victims’ bodies has been caught 24 hours after cutting off his ankle bracelet and skipping parole.

Damien Anthony Peters, 50, was transported from his parole accommodation to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney’s east on Sunday afternoon after other residents became concerned for his welfare.

After being treated at the hospital he was free to leave but at some point his ankle monitor was removed, NSW Police say.

A manhunt ensued and Peters was arrested in Sydney’s inner west before 5pm on Monday.

He was spotted by plain clothes officers walking along the street and was arrested without incident in Church Street, Petersham.

Peters – who was wearing black jeans and running shoes along with a white tank top which showed off a tattoo of a snake wrapped around a panther on his right arm – is accused of breaching his parole conditions.

Earlier in the day, Detective Superintendent Rohan Cramsie told reporters: “It would appear as though the ankle monitoring bracelet has been forcibly removed, possibly cut.”

Peters pleaded guilty to murdering and dismembering two men in his Surry Hills flat in 2001 and was jailed for 21 years, with a non-parole period of 13 years, in 2002.

The court heard Peters, then 32, had stabbed Tereaupii Akai, 50, twice in the neck before cutting up his body and throwing it in a council bin.

About eight months later Peters stabbed 57-year-old Bevan James Frost to death while giving him a massage in bed, before cutting up his body.

Detectives investigating Akai’s disappearance found Frost’s remains in the bath when they went to Peters’ flat.

The parole authority, when considering his release, looked at his completion of programs and counselling, day release programs, behaviour in prison and minimum security classification.

He was released under strict conditions that dictated his movements. He was also ordered to undergo more counselling.

“There was also a need for the offender to have a period of parole supervision prior to the expiry of his sentence in 2022 to facilitate contact with appropriate community support services,” the parole authority spokeswoman said.