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Prison Break: How inmates escape from behind bars

On Saturday, three inmates at the Orsainville Detention Centre in Quebec were whisked away by helicopter. But these daring escapes are more common than you might think. We look at security gaps, escape plans, and the people who try to put a stop to them....
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The Current23:58Prison Break: How inmates escape from behind bars - June 10, 2014
On Saturday, three inmates at the Orsainville Detention Centre in Quebec were whisked away by helicopter. But these daring escapes are more common than you might think. We look at security gaps, escape plans, and the people who try to put a stop to them.

This dramatic escape from an Athens prison in 2009 by a notorious kidnapper and robber was caught on amateur video...



The breakout was particularly galling for the authorities since the inmates were just days away from standing trial for an earlier escape -- also by chopper.

And Canadian prisons seem just as vulnerable. Saturday's incident was the second time a helicopter has whisked away criminals from a Quebec prison in just under a year and a half.

We were joined by two guests to discuss the recent history of prison breaks, and how security experts try to prevent them.

  • Colin Lobo is a security expert specializing in institutions such as prisons and courthouses.

  • Paul Buck is the author of Prison Break: True Stories of the World's Greatest Escapes.

We also put in request Quebec's Ministry of Public Safety, but our calls were not returned.

Have you heard another outlandish prison break story?

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This segment was produced by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar and Naheed Mustafa.

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