During the gold rush Power went to Maryborough in central Victoria to search for gold. When two policemen tried to arrest him for horse stealing in March 1855, he shot one of them. He was captured and sentenced to prison for 13 years. He was able to escape from HM Prison Pentridge in 1862 and moved to northern Victoria where he met the Kelly, Quinn and Lloyd families. In 1864 he was captured near Beechworth and sent back to prison. He escaped from Pentridge again on 19 February 1869. 