5 Real Prison Jail Escapes Caught On Camera
Escaping prison is not an easy thing to do. It requires meticulous planning, patience, and often times, a whole lot of luck. Many inmates who attempt to escape only end up adding years to their sentences, but some manage to pull off the impossible. Here are five real prison jail escapes that were caught on camera.
1. The Texas Seven
In December 2000, seven inmates escaped from the John B. Connally Unit, a maximum-security prison in Texas. They overpowered civilian workers and guards, stole uniforms and weapons, and fled in a prison truck. The escapees, dubbed the Texas Seven, were on the run for over a month before law enforcement caught up with them. During that time, they committed several crimes, including robbing a sports store and killing a police officer. Four of the seven were eventually caught, and one committed suicide before he could be apprehended.
2. Frank Abagnale Jr.
Frank Abagnale Jr. was a notorious con artist who, in the 1960s, posed as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer, all before he turned 21. He was eventually caught and sent to prison. In 1971, he escaped from the Federal Detention Center in Atlanta by impersonating a prison inspector. He convinced guards to let him out of his cell, and then walked right out the front door. Abagnale was on the run for several months before he was recaptured in France.
3. Pascal Payet
Pascal Payet was a French criminal who was known for escaping prison multiple times. In one of his most daring escapes, he used a helicopter to fly out of a high-security prison in 2007. The helicopter picked him up from the prison courtyard and flew him to a waiting vehicle. Payet was eventually caught and sent back to prison, but not before he had escaped two more times using similar methods.
4. John William Dillinger
John Dillinger was a notorious criminal in the 1930s who became known as "Public Enemy No. 1." He was arrested and sent to jail several times, but he always managed to escape. His most famous escape came in 1934, when he carved a fake gun out of wood and used it to force his way out of the Crown Point jail in Indiana. Dillinger was eventually killed by law enforcement in a shootout outside a movie theater.
5. The Alcatraz Escape
The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was widely considered to be one of the most secure prisons in the world, but that didn't stop three inmates from attempting to escape in 1962. Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin managed to escape from their cells and make their way to the roof of the prison. They then used raincoats to make a raft and paddled away from the island. The escapees were never found, and their fate remains a mystery to this day.
Conclusion
These five real prison jail escapes are just a few examples of the lengths that some inmates will go to gain their freedom. While some were successful, others were caught and punished even more severely. Escaping from prison may seem like a romanticized idea, but it's not worth the risk. It's always better to serve your time and learn from your mistakes.
