15rows
5columns
59views
1downloads
Source:Community curated
Updated:3/7/2026
15/15
Prison Break↕ | Prison↕ | Year↕ | Method↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Escape from Alcatraz | Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary | 1962 | Dummy heads + raft from raincoats | Frank Morris + Anglin brothers, bodies never found, 'officially presumed drowned' but maybe not |
The Great Escape | Stalag Luft III, Germany | 1944 | 3 tunnels (Tom, Dick, Harry) | 76 POWs escaped through tunnel 'Harry', 50 recaptured and executed, Steve McQueen movie |
El Chapo's Tunnel Escape | Altiplano Prison, Mexico | 2015 | Mile-long motorcycle tunnel | Tunnel with motorcycle rail led to construction site, GPS-tracked him to the inch, second escape |
Colditz Castle Escapes | Oflag IV-C, Germany | 1940-1945 | Various (hidden glider, uniforms) | Nazi 'escape-proof' castle, 30+ successful escapes, POWs built a hidden glider in the attic |
John Dillinger's Wooden Gun | Crown Point Jail, Indiana | 1934 | Fake gun carved from wood | Bluffed guards with a wooden gun darkened with shoe polish, stole the sheriff's car, folk hero |
Pascal Payet's Helicopter Escapes | Multiple French prisons | 2001, 2003, 2007 | Helicopter extraction from roof | Escaped by helicopter THREE times, also helped others escape, France had to ban helicopter flights near prisons |
Papillon's Devil's Island Escape | Devil's Island, French Guiana | 1941 | Coconut-sack raft on ocean currents | Henri Charrière's memoir, shark-infested waters, Steve McQueen + Dustin Hoffman movie |
Maze Prison Escape | HMP Maze, Northern Ireland | 1983 | Hijacked food truck + guns | 38 IRA prisoners escaped, largest prison break in UK history, guards taken hostage |
Texas Seven | Connally Unit, Texas | 2000 | Overpowered guards, stole clothes | 7 inmates escaped together, America's Most Wanted led to capture, killed a police officer |
Casanova's Venice Escape | The Leads (Palazzo Ducale), Venice | 1756 | Iron spike through ceiling | Giacomo Casanova escaped Venice's infamous lead-roofed prison, wrote a book about it, legendary charm |
Dannemora Prison Break | Clinton Correctional, New York | 2015 | Power tools + underground pipes | Two inmates seduced a prison worker for tools, 3-week manhunt, Ben Stiller directed the miniseries |
Libby Prison Tunnel Escape | Libby Prison, Richmond, VA | 1864 | 57-foot tunnel | 109 Union officers escaped through tunnel, largest Civil War prison break, 48 recaptured |
Yoshie Shiratori's 4 Escapes | 4 different Japanese prisons | 1936-1947 | Miso soup on handcuffs, climbing walls | Escaped 4 prisons including Abashiri in winter, used miso soup to rust handcuffs, Japanese folk legend |
Jack Sheppard's London Escapes | Newgate Prison, London | 1724 | Filed through chains, climbed chimneys | Escaped 4 times, became 18th-century celebrity, public attended his execution, inspired Dickens |
Billy Hayes' Midnight Express | Sagmalcilar Prison, Turkey | 1975 | Rowboat across Sea of Marmara | American caught smuggling hashish, escaped Turkish prison, controversial 1978 movie, diplomatic incident |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Loading community rankings...
Related Datasets
More in History
French Revolution Key Events
Which moment of the French Revolution most defined its turbulent legacy?
16 rows1 shared tag
Famous Mutinies on Ships & in Military
HMS Bounty, Potemkin, Indian Mutiny — which military or naval mutiny had the greatest impact on history?
15 rows1 shared tag
Famous Imposters & Identity Fraudsters
Frank Abagnale, Anna Delvey, the Tichborne Claimant — which imposter pulled off the most audacious deception?
15 rows1 shared tag
Dynasties of the World
Royal and imperial dynasties throughout history.
27 rows1 shared tag
Famous Coronations
Charlemagne, Napoleon, Elizabeth II, Charles III - which crowning ceremony is the most iconic in history?
17 rows1 shared tag
Famous Ransoms & Kidnapping Cases in History
Lindbergh baby, Getty III, Richard the Lionheart — which ransom case shocked the world the most?
15 rows1 shared tag