Attempted prison break failed due to empty angle grinder battery: Report

An attempt to break Omar L. from the prison in Zutphen earlier this month very nearly succeeded, and only failed because the battery of the angle grinder saw used by the suspects ran out, the Telegraaf reports based on information from sources within the prison and around the criminal investigation into the attempted prison break.

According to the newspaper's sources, the four French suspects were well prepared to break Omar L. out of the Achterhoek Penitentiary. He is serving a life sentence for involvement in two assassinations and three attempted assassinations. One of them reported as a visitor and entered the facility. He then propped the door open to let the other three inside. They then reportedly tried to open the next door to the outside area with the battery-powered disc saw. Omar L. was in that outside area at the time, the newspaper writes.

"The only reason why it didn't work is that they were mistaken about the door material and that it was more work than they expected. The battery of the grinder ran out and they did not have a spare battery," a source from within the prison said to the Telegraaf. "But they almost came fact to face with Omar L."

L.'s lawyer Sander Jansen would "neither confirm nor deny" to the newspaper that his client was outside and was almost freed.

A burning van at the scene was likely used as a distraction, according to the Telegraaf.

The four arrested suspects are all from France and between 20 and 30 years old. None of them have a serious criminal record. They had no weapons on them when they were arrested, the Telegraaf writes. They are still in restricted custody, which means that they are only allowed contact with their lawyers.