Duisburg prison escape: Serbian national jumps from roof to tree

A 35-year-old Serbian national, referred to by investigators as “Spiderman,” has escaped from a prison in Duisburg, Germany. According to Benjamin Limbach, the Minister of Justice for North Rhine-Westphalia, the inmate managed to remove a window grate on the third floor, traverse the fourth floor, and climb onto the roof.

Investigators believe the man jumped from the roof into a tree located on the street in front of the facility to facilitate his escape. Limbach described the feat as “life-threatening” and noted it required a high degree of physical skill and agility. Authorities are currently searching for the fugitive, who is approximately 175 centimeters tall and has a distinctive tattoo of a woman on his upper arm.

The prisoner had been held in Duisburg since February on suspicion of serious theft, following a prior conviction for residential burglaries involving the theft of jewelry and approximately 200,000 euros. Following the escape, investigators discovered a hidden compartment in the floor of his cell. Authorities are now reviewing security measures at the Duisburg facility and other prisons in the state, and have requested that the city of Duisburg trim trees located along the road in front of the prison.