Criminal history is full of men who managed to escape from prisons, defying the most sophisticated security systems and the most vigilant guards. The burning desire for freedom, determination and sometimes ingenuity have led to spectacular escapes throughout the ages. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most famous prison escapes in history, highlighting the daring individuals who managed to escape their captivity.
These iconic prison escapes are all examples of the ingenuity, determination and sometimes luck that allowed some individuals to break the chains of their captivity.
#1Frank Abagnale – The Versatile Swindler
Frank Abagnale became famous thanks to the film “Catch Me If You Can” based on his exploits. Abagnale managed to evade authorities several times using a variety of false identities and counterfeiting skills. One of his most famous escapes occurred in 1971, when he posed as an airline pilot and hijacked a plane to escape from the federal prison in the state of West Virginia. He then traveled the world as a fraudster before finally being captured in France
#2John Dillinger – The Great Depression Era Bandit
John Dillinger was one of America’s most feared criminals during the Great Depression. He was imprisoned in the Crown Point County Jail, Indiana, in 1934. However, he managed to escape using toy guns he had carved from soap. The guards were convinced he was armed, allowing him to take control of the prison for a short time and escape
#3Alcatraz– The Mythical Escape
Alcatraz,the famous prison located on the island of the same name in San Francisco Bay, is often considered inviolable. Yet in 1962, three inmates, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, pulled off an incredibly elaborate escape.
They dug tunnels through their cell walls and used life jackets to float to shore. Unfortunately, their fate remains a mystery, as they have never been found.
#4Pascal Payet – The Helicopter Escape
In France,Pascal Payet set a record by escaping from prison three times, twice using
helicopters to rescue his accomplices. His first helicopter escape took placein 2001. He repeated this feat in 2003 and 2007. Payet quickly became famous for his daring aerial escapes.
#5Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán – The Drug Lord
Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, escaped from high-security prisons twice. The first escape took place in 2001, when he hid in a laundry cart to leave Puente Grande prison. His second escape, in 2015, has become legendary. He escaped through a sophisticated tunnel dug beneath his cell in Altiplano prison. This escape was a major blow for the Sinaloa Cartel.
#6Richard Lee McNair – The Wizard of Escape
Richard Lee McNair became famous for his multiple prison escapes, including one from the Louisiana State Correctional Facility in 2006. He used a paper clip to force open the bars of his cell and escaped by hiding in a cardboard box inside a delivery truck.
#7Ted Bundy – The Serial Killer
Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in history, escaped from the Pitkin County, Colorado, jail in 1977. He scaled a playground wall during a spectacular escape. However, his freedom was short-lived, as he was quickly recaptured.
#8Billy Hayes – Escape from the Midnight Express
Billy Hayes became famous thanks to the book and movie “Midnight Express.” In 1975, while imprisoned in Turkey on drug charges, Hayes managed to escape from Sagmalcilar prison by scaling a wall and swimming across the Greek border.
#9Roger Bushell – The Great Escape
During World War II, Roger Bushell, a British pilot, staged a mass escape from Stalag Luft III prison in Nazi Germany. The story of this daring escape was immortalized in the film “The Great Escape.” Unfortunately, most of the escapees were captured and some were even executed.
#10Andy Dufresne (Fictional) – The Escapees
Although a fictional character from the film “The Shawshank Redemption”, the story of Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, is often cited as one of the escapes from cinema’s most memorable prisons. Dufresne digs a secret tunnel for years to escape Shawshank Prison.
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