Y’all, this is one for the prison break history books! A 20-year-old prisoner in France pulled off a bold and bizarre escape by hiding inside his cellmate’s laundry bag as he was being released from jail. Yes, you read that right.
According to CBS News, the escape took place over the weekend at Lyon-Corbas Prison, located in southeastern France. Officials didn’t realize he was gone until Monday, when they found him emerging from a cellar in the nearby town of Corbas.
Prison Officials Admit “Multiple Malfunctions” Led to the Escape
The sneaky inmate apparently crawled into a bag of dirty laundry while his cellmate was preparing for release. The move allowed him to literally slip out of the jail unnoticed. Authorities say the cellmate hasn’t been arrested, but the investigation is ongoing.
Sébastien Cauwel, director of prison administration, admitted on Sunday that this was a major security failure. “Several errors and malfunctions” reportedly paved the way for the escape.
And to make matters worse? The prison is severely overcrowded, housing about 1,200 inmates even though it was only built for 678. That’s nearly double its intended capacity—so you already know things are chaotic.
The Escapee Was Serving Time For Multiple Offenses — And Being Investigated For Organized Crime
This wasn’t just some petty thief. The inmate was already serving multiple sentences and is also linked to a larger organized crime case. Authorities are now scrambling to figure out how he pulled this off so easily and what systems failed over the weekend.
Luckily, his short-lived freedom didn’t last long. He was recaptured on Monday, but not before setting off a wave of scrutiny around how secure Lyon-Corbas really is. Chile… they might want to double-check those laundry bags next time..