Serious criminal Rédoine Faïd made headlines in France five years ago with a cinematic escape from prison by helicopter and the help of an armed commando. For the second time, the crook known for robbing money carriers and banks escaped from prison and fooled the French justice system. On Thursday evening, a court in Paris sentenced the 51-year-old Frenchman to 14 years in prison.
The prosecutor had asked for 22 years in prison for the known fugitive, while his lawyer had asked for five to eight years in prison. Eleven suspected helpers also stood trial.
Helicopter landed on the prison grounds
On July 1, 2018, three armed accomplices took control of a helicopter, landed it in a courtyard of the Réau prison, southeast of Paris, and took Faïd on board. The helicopter flew away to applause from other prisoners. The action lasted only a few minutes and no one was seriously injured
The fugitive temporarily hid under the burqa
Faïd’s two brothers and three cousins also became co-suspects. The serial perpetrator, who had already been sentenced to prison several times, was arrested near Paris three months after his escape. In order not to be detected by investigators, he temporarily hid under a burqa, that is, under a full body veil.
It’s not the criminal’s first jailbreak
Faïd managed to escape from prison in spectacular fashion in 2013. To do this, he detonated explosives on five doors of the prison and temporarily took four guards hostage. The police organization Interpol used a wanted poster to search the 190 member states for the escaped man – ultimately successful, he ended up behind bars again. In 2018, a court sentenced Faïd to 25 years in prison for his alleged role in a botched robbery in 2010. A police officer was killed in a chase.
The suspect was a popular talk show guest
In addition to the wanted posters, the serious criminal in France had long been known as a much sought-after talk show guest. Faïd, who says he was fascinated by gangster films as a teenager, published an autobiographical novel in 2010 after his first long prison sentence and subsequently appeared as a guest in numerous TV programs. “Bank Robber: From Suburban Settlement to Major Criminal” was the title of his book.
Contrary to what was foreshadowed in the novel, his criminal career continued. He was also inspired by the gangster film ‘Heat’, as he told the film’s creator, Michael Mann, during a public meeting. He watched the film enthusiastically again and again, also for learning purposes.
Helicopter pilot apologizes in court
In court, the serious criminal apologized to helicopter pilot Stéphane Buy, who forcibly flew him out of prison five years ago and was now sitting opposite him. The escape was forcefully forced and traumatized people; today he would no longer perform the operation, Faïd claimed. Two accomplices had booked a flight with the pilot, but had already threatened him at the airport so that he would take a certain helicopter. “They forced me and warned me that my family was in danger,” the pilot said at the time. Later he was also beaten and sent to prison.
In the dock in Paris, the professional gangster now repented and promised to get better. He won’t back down again. The judiciary preferred to play it safe and took special security measures for the procedure. An elite gendarmerie unit was deployed, among other things, to thwart new escape attempts.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
