A man hatched a daring plan from a prison in France, which saw him escape early. However, his newfound freedom was short-lived, and he was back in the slammer in less than 48 hours.
According to a translated report by BFMTV, the inmate escaped from the Lyon-Corbas Prison in the southeast of France on Saturday, July 12. The inmate allegedly hitched a ride in his cellmate’s laundry bag. Per the BBC, the prison released a statement, saying the prisoner, “took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out.”
Director of Prison Administration Sébastien Cauwel admitted an “accumulation of errors” to BFMTV. “This is an extremely rare event that we have never experienced in this administration and which clearly reveals a whole series of serious dysfunctions,” Cauwell reportedly stated. The outlet discloses that the inmate was missing for 24 hours before staff sounded the alarm. Cauwell allegedly said overcrowding may have played a part in the incident, noting that Lyon-Corbas Prison runs at 170% capacity.
Authorities Detained The Prison Escapee On Monday Morning
While escaping prison is no mean feat, the inmate’s freedom was short-lived. According to a report by CNN, authorities arrested the escapee on Monday morning at around 6 am. They caught him exiting a cellar in Sathonay Camp, northeast of Lyon. The Lyon prosecutors’ office told the outlet, “No one was injured. His accomplice was not with him and has not yet been arrested. The suspect is currently in custody on charges of escape as part of an organized gang and participation in a criminal conspiracy.”
Authorities have not revealed the inmate’s identity, but CNN explains he was serving multiple sentences. Prison escapes are uncommon, although one high-profile breakout occurred in New Orleans in May. Per Suggest, ten fugitives escaped through a hole in a cell wall during the night. The cell had a faulty lock, and the inmates ran across the highway once they were outside the prison walls.
The fugitives were brazen about their escape attempt and even left messages like “To Easy LOL” scrawled around the hole. Several of the escapees were in prison for murder or attempted murder.