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Escaped prisoner on the loose in Stockholm

Published: 22 Dec 11 14:57 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/38104/20111222/

A 24-year-old prisoner from Hall, one of Sweden's maximum-security prisons, fled whilst on temporary leave in Stockholm on Thursday morning and remains at large.

On his way to visit Skansen, Stockholm's popular open-air museum, the man suddenly ran off and jumped into a waiting car.

The man has been sentenced to prison for two and a half years.

"He had a four-hour long leave, and had two experienced guards with him, but he ran away, and got into the car," said Elisabeth Anestad, Hall's manager, to news agency TT.

The man is convicted of grand larceny and handling stolen goods. He was at Hall because of bad behaviour at other prisons.

He was to be released on parole in July, and this was the 24-year-old's first leave from prison.

"Shortly after parking he ran off and was chased until reaching the other car, but our staff didn't succeed in catching up to him," said Anestad.

He was chased some 300 metres, and nobody was injured in the incident.

"This is very rare. For our part, it hasn't happened since 2005," said Anestad.

The escape occurred at 10.45am, and the man is now wanted.

Hall is one of Sweden's three maximum-security prisons.

Although the 24-year-old hadn't been sentenced to a long prison sentence, poor behaviour can lead to prisoners being moved to a higher security level.

TT/The Local/cg (news@thelocal.se)

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16:14 December 22, 2011 by acidcritic
The guy must be fully crazy to escape from a swedish prision. Where else he will find so many advantages? A whole nation working for the well being of its misfits is a unique situation.
17:16 December 22, 2011 by EP
He's at a maximum prison and gets a day pass to Skansen ... why???
18:54 December 22, 2011 by ChicagoDave
What is with this policy of giving PRISONERS a VACATION from prison?!?!? It makes no sense!
19:41 December 22, 2011 by merican
How are they getting a free field trip to Skansen. I worked all day, everyday this week and this is what my taxes are going to??!!??
00:12 December 23, 2011 by GLO
Are the Insane running your Prision System!!!!
00:58 December 23, 2011 by matona1
prisoners enjoy more than innocents homeless people without crime history,a very good law ,prisoner on vacation ,highly fuuny
05:37 December 23, 2011 by azcapi
Punishment shouldn't include Skansen, it's supposed to be punishment. Maximum security should be just that.
10:36 December 23, 2011 by Gubbe
Swedish prisons are not about "punishment" but rather about rehabilitation.

I'm personally not sure which side of the fence I'm on in that regard - I do think some "criminals" can be rehabilitated easily, while others are simply beyond redemption.

Still - a visit to Skansen in December seems like reasonable punishment for grand larceny whereas a visit in summer should be reserved for violent offenders.
12:03 December 23, 2011 by Tennin
Haha defeats the purpose of a Maximum prison if they're allowed a day out.
00:32 December 24, 2011 by mcarroll1
The Keystone Cops are not in it with these guards. Swedes! You just have to laugh. Skansen - if they really wanted to punish him he should have been brought to Engelen on a Sat night.
03:43 December 24, 2011 by johnoleson
If this is what maximum-security prison is, what is considered minimum-security prison? Perhaps all those who hold down a regular job and pay taxes are considered in minimum-security prison.
18:57 December 25, 2011 by Whynot8
If this %*&$@#~ website wanted to do something useful they would print his picture so we could help find him, or at least so we would be better able to avoid him. Oh, I'm sorry, that would be demeaning to him. He probably had an unhappy childhood with inadequate numbers of other children to bully (mob). Skansen has probably been just the thing for rehabilitating him. Tally ho, Swedish Justice System.
20:29 December 25, 2011 by johnoleson
@whynot

They cannot display his picture because that might disparage an entire group of immigrants. You don't think a native Swede would escape do you? That would be against the rules.
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