- Prisoner Escapes By Hiding Inside Luggage In France
- Guards took 24 hours to realise he was missing
- Nationwide manhunt led to his arrest days later
By Grateful Ogunjebe
A young inmate in France has pulled off a daring prison escape by hiding inside a fellow inmate’s luggage as the latter was being released.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the 20-year-old, identified as Elyazid A., slipped out of Lyon-Corbas maximum security prison in a large canvas bag carried by a newly released prisoner.
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According to French media, the escape occurred two Fridays ago but wasn’t discovered until 24 hours later.
The released inmate simply rolled the bag to the facility’s front gate with the help of a cart, arousing no suspicion from guards.
Elyazid A., who had been serving several sentences for organised crimes, exited the prison undetected.
The prison administration called the incident “an extremely rare event” that pointed to major lapses in protocol.
“This clearly reveals a whole series of serious dysfunctions,” the prison director admitted during a press briefing.
Though full details of the escape remain sealed, inside sources confirmed that the “visiting bag” used was typically meant for inmate belongings.
Observers are questioning how such a large, heavy bag left the prison unchecked, despite policies meant to prevent smuggling and escape attempts.
Within 24 hours of the escape being noticed, French authorities launched a nationwide manhunt.
The fugitive was later found hiding in a cellar in Sathonay-Camp, a town roughly 25 minutes from the prison.
He was reportedly apprehended without incident, though the accomplice who aided the escape remains at large.
That accomplice, the recently freed inmate, is now the subject of a police hunt and may face re-arrest.
Authorities have yet to confirm how he coordinated the escape with Elyazid or whether external help was involved.
The bizarre nature of the escape has stirred debate across France about security flaws in overcrowded prison systems.
A full investigation is ongoing as officials work to plug the gaps that allowed the inmate to walk free in a bag.
