Armed robber busts out of French jail in helicopter
Second escape for career criminal who was serving 25 years for botched armed robbery in which police officer was killed
A notorious criminal serving 25 years in prison for a failed robbery in which a police officer was killed is on the run after a escaping from a Paris prison in a helicopter.
Redoine Faïd, 46, was busted out of Réau prison, Seine-et-Marne, by three heavily armed accomplices, who had hijacked a flying school helicopter, taken its pilot hostage and forced him to fly into the compound.
Faïd was in the visitors' room with his brother when two of the men broke in using angle grinders and smoke bombs. They grabbed Faïd and made their escape. The burnt-out helicopter was later found in the Gonesse area. The pilot had been released unharmed, but was taken to hospital suffering from shock.
Part of the escape was filmed by another inmate
Shortly afterwards, the quartet were seen in a black Renault Megane heading for the A1 motorway. That getaway car was later found a shopping centre car park in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois.
Faïd's brother has been taken into police custody.
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said that drones had been spotted flying near the prison in recent months, prompting speculation that they may have been used for reconnaissance purposes.
In 2009, Faïd enjoyed a brief period of fame as a writer after his autobiography, which detailed his youth in Paris's poorest suburbs, and how he graduated from their into a life of crime.
He claimed at the time that he had turned his back on a life of crime - but he was arrested a year later for his part in the failed armed robbery. After initially being sentenced to 18 years, his term was extended following a failed appeal.
It is the second time he has staged a dramatic prison break: in 2013, he escaped after seizing four guards as human shields and blowing several doors off with dynamite. While on the run, he was placed on Interpol's most wanted list.
