We have all lost count of the endless movies and television serials where the protagonist is either using air conditioning ducts to crawl through to break into a museum or bank to pull off a daring robbery or alternatively prisoners breaking out of prison in daring jail escapes. It makes for riveting, tense and thrilling viewing, but does this really happen in real life? We have searched the web to bring you some real life tales of air conditioning ducts used for dubious purposes!
By Joseph Alexiou (October 25 2011) Prisoner stages elaborate escape through air conditioning system and over wire fences… only to be caught hours later Mail Online retrieved March 21, 2012 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053406
Excerpt
“A prison inmate who staged an elaborate escape, was left dismayed after he was captured just hours later.
Leviticus Uriah Taylor, 25, who was being held at the maximum security block at Indian River County Jail in south-east Florida, launched his freedom bid with cellmate Rondell H Reed, 52.
The daring escape on Sunday night saw the two men, both considered highly dangerous, crawl through air conditioning ducts and scale 12-foot fences covered in barbed wire.
But while Reed’s efforts were successful, Taylor was caught just hours later and returned to custody.
Reed, who is facing a second-degree murder charge, and Taylor, who was convicted of first degree murder last month, came up with the plan during the five days they were held together as cellmates.
Their escape is believed to have seen them break into a prison maintenance area, where their overalls were later found.
They would have then had to pass two locked doors before climbing through air conditioning ducts.
The final part of their escape saw them scale a 12-foot high fence topped with barbed wire that surrounds the jail. Investigators believe blankets found nearby were used to protect against the razor wire.”
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By Unknown (October 8 2011) Police arrest 4 would-be robbers in Miami Beach retrieved March 21, 2012 from http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21005067275366
Excerpt
“Miami Beach Police have arrested four armed men accused of attempting to rob a South Florida gas station, early Wednesday morning.
The incident began just after midnight at the Shell Gas Station on 71st Street and Abbott Avenue. Someone alerted police after spotting four armed men with guns putting on ski masks outside of the gas station.
Authorities said the fourth subject used a ladder to climb on to a roof of the restaurant and hid in the A/C duct, where he became stuck. Miami Beach Police Detective Juan Sanchez said, “While on top of that restaurant, he was able to break the air conditioning duct vent system and get into this crawl space.”
The fourth subject was eventually pulled out of the air duct by SWAT team members. They needed to tear open ceiling panels and used a camera to find him. They then broke out ceiling tiles to pull him out by his feet.
No one was injured in this incident.”
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