Reports: Two Prisoners Escape Custody by Sawing Through Cell Bars with Bed Sheets

Earlier this week, two prisoners managed to escape from the Maison darrt de Dijon, the main detention center in the eastern French city of Dijon. The 19-year-old and 32-year-old detainees were being held in separate violent-crime cases.

According to multiple reports, including AFP, La Dpche, and Le Dauphin Libr, the inmates allegedly sawed through their cell bars and lowered themselves using bed sheets to exit the facility before dawn. Prosecutor Olivier Caracotch confirmed that the escape involved manually sawing through the bars.

The prison, which has been in operation since 1853, is significantly overcrowded, housing 311 inmates in a space designed for only 180, according to the French justice ministry. Union representatives had repeatedly warned about the risks posed by overcrowding, underfunding, and the presence of saw blades inside the facility.

The younger escapee had been in pre-trial detention since October 2024 for an attempted murder related to drugs, while the 32-year-old had been incarcerated since 2023 for alleged threats and violence against a partner. Ahmed Saih, a union official, stated that the prisoners used old-fashioned, manual saw blades and had previously found similar tools in the prison.

An inmate released on November 27 after eight months described the harsh conditions: There were three of us in a cell: two on bunk beds and one sleeping on the floor.

This incident follows another breakout in Rennes just ten days earlier, where a 37-year-old convict fled during an outing. In that case, Frances justice minister, Grald Darmanin, dismissed the prison director. Unions representing prison directors criticized Darmanin for prioritizing high-security units for drug-related and terrorist cases while neglecting most other jails.

Author: Sophia Brooks