Bizarre jailbreak: How French prisoner escaped in released cellmate's laundry bag; went unnoticed for 24 hours

Time of India

21-07-2025

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A 20-year-old inmate, Elyazid A, nicknamed "the Joker" or "the Equaliser", chose a unique way to escape from a French prison- concealed in fellow inmate's laundry bag, who was being released.
The inmate serving several sentences escaped by hiding in the luggage of his inmate who complete his sentence, the Prison Service said in a statement to AFP. He "took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out," the statement said.
However, the authorities re-apprehended him later in a village cellar last week, approximately 25km from Lyon-Corbas prison, according to Guardian News.
The prison staff failed to notice his absence for 24 hours. Reports indicate he escaped by hiding in a large plastic laundry bag filled with clothes, which his released cellmate transported out on a trolley on Friday. The police continue their search for the accomplice cellmate.
Multiple investigations have been launched by Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, Lyon prosecutors, the French prison service and Lyon-Corbas facility to examine the escape circumstances.
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The national prison service head, Sébastien Cauwel, confirmed that Elyazid A, despite facing charges including criminal association and conspiracy to murder, was not considered a security threat. Cauwel described the escape method as exceptionally uncommon, attributing its success to significant internal failures.
The incident raised questions about systemic issues within the facility, primarily stemming from staff-related shortcomings rather than infrastructure problems.
The severe overcrowding exacerbates these challenges for prison officers.
Lyon-Corbas prison currently houses almost 1,220 inmates despite its 678-person capacity. A May report by the Lyon bar association urged immediate action to address overcrowding and maintain basic human rights.
The French prison system accommodates 85,000 inmates in facilities designed for under 63,000 people. Cauwel noted that vacant cells are immediately filled, potentially contributing to oversight failures.
According to a 2024 Council of Europe assessment, French prisons rank third in EU overcrowding rates, behind Cyprus and Romania. The country has witnessed numerous dramatic escapes, including about 20 helicopter breakouts since the 1980s, reported The Guardian.
The prison service faces a shortage of at least 5,000 officers. Recent incidents include armed attacks on prison facilities, with 21 arrests in April following assaults, including gunfire at Toulon prison's entrance.
Drug cartels have targeted prison facilities, damaging officers' housing and burning vehicles, responding to increased government enforcement and stricter regulations for imprisoned crime leaders.