French crime boss escapes prison by helicopter
Redoine Faid, France's most daring robber, escaped from a Paris prison today by helicopter with the help of his accomplices.
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Redoine Faid in court in 2001. Photo:Le Parisien. |
Redoine Faid, 46, escaped from prison in Reau, a southeastern suburb of Paris, in just minutes. He was assisted by several accomplices carrying heavy weapons,AFPquoted sources familiar with the matter as saying.
The escape came after Faid was sentenced to 25 years in prison for masterminding an armed robbery in May 2010 that left a policewoman dead. According to sources, Faid escaped with the help of three accomplices.
A helicopter landed at around 11:30 a.m. today and picked him up. Authorities later found the plane in the northeastern suburbs of Paris. Police are launching a manhunt across the French capital for the notorious criminal.
This was Faid’s second successful prison break. In 2013, he escaped from a high-security prison using explosives. He had been in custody since mid-2011. Armed with a pistol, he took four prison guards hostage before fleeing in a prepared car. French police found and arrested Faid six weeks later in a hotel on the outskirts of Paris.
In the 1990s, Faid ran a gang that carried out armed robberies and extortion. In 2001, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for armed robbery. After serving 10 years, he was released early but was sent back to prison for violating the terms of his parole.
In 2009, Faid wrote a book about his experiences growing up in a neighborhood populated by notorious criminals and how he became involved in a life of crime.