PRISONER ESCAPES BY HIDING IN RELEASED INMATE'S SUITCASE

A man has escaped from prison by hiding in the suitcase of another inmate who was being released. The prisoner, a 20-year-old, fled from Corbas prison, near the city of Lyon in southeastern France, on Friday, where he was serving several sentences. However, he was found and arrested yesterday (Monday, July 14). The 20-year-old "took advantage of his cellmate's release to hide in his luggage and exit," authorities explained in a statement. The escaped inmate was also under investigation in a case linked to organized crime.

Serious Dysfunctions Revealed

"This is an extremely rare event that we have never experienced in this administration and that clearly reveals a whole series of serious dysfunctions," the prison director, Sébastien Cauwel, told Bfmtv, admitting an "accumulation of errors" that led to the escape. His escape was reportedly only noticed by prison staff 24 hours later, and it has been suggested that the delay in discovery was due to prison overcrowding.

"This facility has an occupancy rate of 170 percent. This clearly makes working conditions more difficult for our staff," stated the head of the prison service.

According to Le Parisien newspaper, the man who was about to be released had asked prison staff for a trolley to transport bags out of the prison to his car. The escaped inmate, according to a report, might have fled in a large laundry bag that was among the personal effects being taken out.

Recaptured

Yesterday, the 20-year-old was apprehended while exiting a cellar in Sathonay-Camp, north of Lyon. His accomplice was also arrested in Marseille. The recaptured prisoner has been placed in police custody for "escape in an organized gang and participation in a criminal association," according to the Public Prosecutor's Office. The young man, originally from Mayotte, was in pre-trial detention at Lyon-Corbas prison on suspicion of "organized gang murder" of a drug trafficker and "weapons offenses."

"There were three of them in the cell, and one of his cellmates met the requirements for release on Friday morning, so he took advantage of this cellmate's complicity to hide in a large laundry bag" and get out, explained the director.