Notorious Greek robber and kidnapper Vassilis Paleokostas escaped by helicopter from a high security prison together with his Albanian sidekick Alket Rizai. Paleokostas and Rizai fled the “Korydallos”- Prison in Athens with the help of accomplices who hijacked a helicopter. It approached the jail’s roof and threw them a rope ladder. While the two wee climbing the laddr their co prisoners applauded and cheered. The copter landed some 2 km away and the criminals fled with 2 cars. Behind remained the aircraft and the pilot, who declared to the police that he was threatened by two people carrying guns and a hand grenade. For Paleokostas and Rizai is the second prison break from the same prison in exactly the same spectacular way. In June 2006 they escaped Korydallos, while Paleokostas was serving a 25-year sentence for kidnapping and robbery. They were arrested last summer. It is believed Paleokostas is the mastermind of the kidnapping of Greek industrialist Giorgos Mylonas 2008. Paleokostas and Rizai were to give testimony for their first escape in the court tomorrow. Paleokostas’s brother, Nikos, escaped prison 1990; he was serving for 16 bank robberies.
While the political leadership is in shock, mainstream media ask the resignation of the Justice Minister, accusing him of incompetence.
Public opinion and many bloggers deliver caustic comments on the failure of the prison system and almost glorify Paleokostas for his boldness and showing nerves.