Manhunt for French robber who broke out of jail in a dramatic helicopter escape

Redoine Faid and the helicopter abandoned by is gang after his escape from prison. Picture: AFP

Manhunt is underway for a French criminal serving 25 years for murder who made an audacious escape from prison after a helicopter carrying several heavily armed commandos landed in a courtyard, freed him from a visiting room and carried him away, the French authorities say.


Redoine Faid, who was once France’s most-wanted man, was helped by several heavily armed men who created a diversion at the prison entrance on Sunday, while the helicopter landed.

The helicopter flew to the nearby Gonesse area, where it was found by local police.

Faid, 46, has been serving a 25-year sentence for a failed robbery during which a police officer was killed.

This is his second prison break: in 2013, he escaped after seizing four guards as human shields and blowing several doors off with dynamite.


Faid, who grew up in tough immigrant suburbs outside Paris, has made several television appearances and co-authored two books about his delinquent youth and rise as a criminal in the Paris suburbs.

He said his life of crime was inspired by American films such as “Scarface” and “Heat”.