Jail search reveals replica keys
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A search at the top-security Whitemoor jail found replica keys intended for use in an escape, the Prison Service confirmed. Two plastic key patterns were found in a communal area of the prison, near March in Cambridgeshire, a spokeswoman said.
The patterns were incomplete and not intended to open cell doors, though finished keys would have opened several internal doors. A search of theprison, from which six inmates, including five IRA men, broke out in 1994, was ordered last weekend after reports that "illicit items" had been smuggled in. Such searches are routine at Whitemoor since a report on the break- out criticised governors. Officers planned to continue searching over the next couple of days but, apart from the keys, no illicit goods had been found, the service said.
It denied reports on the BBC Look East programme last night that the finished keys would have enabled prisoners to reach the perimeter fence. "This kind of method is not new," the spokeswoman said. "Prisoners do try and escape from time to time. That's one of the reasons why we search prisons."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments