Spanish police have arrested a fugitive dubbed the “Master of Escapes” after he reportedly broke out of prison four times, including a dramatic escape from a maximum-security facility in Italy.
The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was arrested in Tarragona, northeastern Spain, after authorities tracked him to a neighbourhood where he was believed to be staying.
According to Spain’s National Police, the fugitive was wanted by Italian authorities under a European arrest warrant.
His latest escape reportedly took place in December, when he escaped from the Italian prison by sawing through window bars before using knotted bedsheets to lower himself from the facility.
Police said the man had previously escaped from prisons in Terni and Parma, Italy, as well as from a prison in Belgium.
His Belgian escape was particularly unusual, with authorities saying he used a human pyramid to climb over the prison walls.
“It sounds like something out of a movie, but sometimes reality is stranger than fiction,” Spanish police said while describing his repeated escapes.
Arrest Turns Dramatic
The arrest in Tarragona reportedly did not go smoothly.
Authorities said the fugitive resisted arrest, while several people who were with him attempted to intervene.
One of those individuals allegedly injured two police officers during the confrontation.
Police also said the suspect was found carrying false identification documents and two €500 notes suspected to be counterfeit.
Spanish authorities described him as “dangerous” but did not disclose his identity or provide details about the offence that originally led to his imprisonment.
Faces Extradition To Italy
Following his arrest, a judge ordered that the fugitive be held in provisional custody without bail while extradition proceedings to Italy are underway.
His repeated escapes from different prisons across Europe have now earned him the unusual nickname “Master of Escapes.”
Authorities are expected to continue investigating how he managed to evade prison security on four separate occasions before eventually being captured in Spain.
