Around 40 Police Officers Took Part in Search for Two Inmates Who Absconded from an Open Prison in Lovech

Around 40 police officers took part in the search for the two prisoners who escaped on Sunday evening from the "Poligona" open prison in the city of Lovech. Both were found and detained within eight hours, chief inspector Zlatin Mihaylov, head of Lovech Police Department, told a press briefing on November 3.

• Two men absconded from open prison in Lovech, police detain them

The report was filed with the police around 18:00 on Sunday. One of the inmates was caught about an hour after the escape, and the other at 1:45 that night. Both inmates are 21 years old and were serving sentences for theft. They were on light regime in the prison dormitory.

The alert was received at around 18:00 on Sunday. One of the prisoners was captured roughly an hour after the escape, and the second was detained at around 01:45 this morning. Both men are 21 and were serving sentences for theft under a low-security regime.

Mihaylov said that once the abscond report was received, the police’s contingency plan for such situations was immediately activated. Checkpoints were set up at all exits from the city, and patrol units, including officers in plain clothes, searched throughout Lovech.

One runaway inmate was found about an hour to an hour and a half later, hiding in bushes on the outskirts of the city, located by a prison guard. The second was discovered in an abandoned house on Bulgaria Boulevard after information from local residents.

Mihaylov noted that the two inmatess were likely returned to the main prison building and that fast-track pre-trial proceedings have been opened, expected to be completed within the week. An internal investigation at the prison will also be launched to determine how the escape occurred.

The ooen prison operates under a more relaxed regime, Mihaylov explained, with inmates allowed to work in the community during the day without direct supervision. He added that the escape was spotted by a guard who chased the prisoners but fell into a shaft and was unable to catch them.

This is the first prison escape in Lovech in three to four years, he said. The previous escapee was caught walking along the main road between Lovech and Pleven.

Mikhailov said that once the tip-off about the escape was received, the lockdown plan developed for such cases at the district police station was immediately put into action.

"Checkpoints were set up at all the city's exits. Separate patrols and plain-clothes policemen went around Lovech to establish the location of the fugitives," Mikhailov added.

About an hour to an hour and a half after the alert was issued, one prisoner was found on an outlying street in the city. He was hidden in the bushes and found by a prison guard. Mikhailov clarified that such raids are carried out jointly with prison officials.

The second escaped prisoner was found and detained in an unoccupied house on Bulgaria Avenue in the city. The man was hiding in the yard of the property and the police received information about him from citizens.

"I assume that according to the prison's regulations, the two prisoners have been returned to the main building, and we have opened two quick pre-trial proceedings for their act, which will be completed within the week and will be submitted to the court," Mihailov said.

He commented that an internal investigation will also be conducted in the prison to establish how the escape took place.

Asked whether the prison dormitory was well guarded, Mikhailov said it was more relaxed. He said prisoners serving sentences there go out during the day to work without guards and on contracts. Mikhailov also said that the escape of the two prisoners was detected by one of the guards. The uniformed officer chased them but fell into a manhole and could not catch up with them.

The head of the police department also said that the last prison break in Lovech was three or four years ago. Then a prisoner was caught on the main road from Lovech to Pleven, which he was travelling on foot.