Questions are being raised about security after a group of prisoners escaped from a Vaud prison for the second time in less than three months.

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Six prisoners from three cells made a break for freedom at the Croisée penitentiary in Orbe, in the northern part of the canton, early on Sunday morning.

Four of them were quickly recaptured while the other two remain at large, Vaud’s information and communication office said in a news release.

The two men are not considered dangerous, the office said.

The escapees used a hand-made tool to cut bars on prison doors before fleeing the cells, according to the report.
 
The inmates went through the prison’s administrative section on their way out.

But they were tracked by surveillance cameras in the parking lot, which allowed prison staff and cantonal police to arrest four of them just past the nearby village of Suchy.

Several police patrols and an army helicopter were pressed into service to search for the missing men.

The escape is an embarrassment for the penitentiary and a press conference is planned for Monday to shed light on the incident.    

On July 30th, five inmates broke out of the jail, fleeing via the rooftops of the penitentiary before clambering over a wire security fence.

Police were unable to track down the prisoners, Albanian and Kosovo citizens.

Imprisoned for theft, property damage, home violations and drug charges, they were also not regarded by police as dangerous.

UPDATE, October 23rd: Noting serious shortcomings in the operations of the Croisée prison, Vaud cabinet minister Béatrice Métraux on Monday ordered an inquiry into the situation. A prison guard was also fired for negligence in the case. Also, it appears the escapees used cutlery — spoons and knives — to get out of their cells.