French Helicopter Jailbreak Mastermind Gets Additional Prison Time
Rédoine Faïd, the French armed robber famous for his Hollywood-style helicopter escape from Réau prison in 2018, has received an extra 14-year prison sentence from a Paris court. Faïd, who took inspiration from French and American gangster films for his criminal pursuits, is no stranger to outsmarting the French prison system, and his recent escapade was no less than a spectacle.
The Helicopter Heist
In a bold move, Faïd’s accomplices commandeered a helicopter on July 1, 2018, and forced its pilot to land inside Réau jail. After deploying smoke bombs they used a disc-grinder to breach doors leading to the visiting area, where Faïd was meeting with his brother. The entire operation unfolded in less than 10 minutes, leaving inmates cheering as the helicopter soared away with its newly acquired passenger.
Following this escape, Faïd spent three months on the run before law enforcement tracked him to his hometown of Creil, located north of Paris, where he was disguising himself as a woman in a Muslim burqa. This marks his second escape from prison after escaping for six weeks in 2013.
How The Trial Unfolded
During the seven-week trial, Faïd had a unique opportunity to narrate his romanticised criminal past to a jury, a stark contrast from years spent in solitary confinement. Faïd claimed he was motivated by boredom and the prospect of facing another two decades in prison, as well as the "incredible lapse" of the prison not having anti-helicopter nets over the courtyard.
The trial also implicated two of Faïd's brothers, three nephews, and a convicted member of the Corsican underworld. Faïd's brother Rachid, who orchestrated the helicopter escape, received a 10-year jail sentence, while another brother, Brahim, was given a one-year suspended prison term, claiming no knowledge of the escape plan.
Throughout his criminal journey, Faïd made a name for himself by robbing his first bank in 1990, targeting armoured vans, and claiming to adhere to a criminal code of honour that avoided harm to his victims. However, his exploits turned fatal in 2010 when a policewoman was shot during a chase following a robbery.
Despite his severed connections to organised crime, Faïd, during a brief period of reform in the early 2010s, co-authored a book about his criminal past and made frequent television appearances, showcasing his affinity for the limelight. This latest chapter in Faïd's criminal career, marked by a second escape from prison, has extended his time behind bars, ensuring that he remains a figure of intrigue in the world of criminal exploits.
