Techniques to escape from police custody and evade attempts to locate you

[Malice]

You mess up and are taken into police custody. How do you escape?

Let's start before you're even placed under arrest:

Running away doesn't really need to be discussed; just know your environment and head through backyards if possible. It's really something that varies depending on your environment. You need to plan a route ahead of time, preferably be physically fit, and think on your feet.

What I want to discuss is conning your way out of being arrested.


Next let's discuss what to do if you are placed under arrest and are handcuffed:

Handcuffs are very difficult to get out of if the keyholes are on top, but it's a very simple warded lock. You can easily open it. What I would do is get a pair to practice on, then modify a hair pin or something else that's malleable, but strong enough not to break when you turn it. Bend the tip so that it opens the lock once you place it in and turn it. Then bend the rest of it so you would be able to position it and turn it when handcuffed. A good place to hide things is behind the logo on jeans; just use a razor blade or something sharp to cut the threads at the top. Searches usually aren't very thorough; since your belt will be over part of the logo it's likely that they'll miss it. You can also keep a universal handcuff key in there or in a slit in the tongue or your shoe. If you're flexible enough to get your hands in front of you it should be pretty easy to unlock them.

You may be able to break metal handcuffs if you're freakishly strong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwMOF5Lv81Y

Another technique is to tighten your handcuffs by pressing them against you. This won't work if they were double locked. Tell the officer that the cuffs are cutting off your circulation and they usually won't have a problem loosening them if you weren't a dick to them. If there are multiple officers you may be able to do this multiple times. It's very difficult to get them loose enough to slip out of them and trying can really hurt your hands, but if you can dislocate something you may be able to do it.

I'm not sure if this would work, but you can tell the officer that you have a metal allergy and need flexi-cuffs/zip ties. Flexi-cuffs are much easier to get out of. When they put them on you you can position your wrists so that they're put in loosely. Bend your palms upwards and pull your wrists apart. You can also disable the locking mechanism by slipping a needle between the straps and the area where they're put through to secure them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB_gwYz5Mqs

Here's someone unlocking them with a hairpin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQiMryYehw

You can also melt them or break them if you're strong enough.

Edit: Will continue later.

[Lord hang man]

Run into the woods; k-9 units will take like 3 hours to come out. Cops won't chase you into the woods either, you could just climb a tree and they'd never know. They would end up walking around for days while you're just laughing on a tree branch.

[mksnowboarder]

Running is for people with real financial or military resources. Otherwise you just gotta use your wits to fight it legally.

mike

[spiralds123]

Originally Posted by Big Baby Jesus

Run into the woods; k-9 units will take like 3 hours to come out. Cops won't chase you into the woods either, you could just climb a tree and they'd never know. They would end up walking around for days while you're just laughing on a tree branch.

Depends on when, in the middle of the day I doubt climbing a tree would work. When it comes to the K-9 units it is luck. If one is roaming in the area for whatever reason they can get there faster, so never assume you have tons of time.

In my experiences the first thing you need to do is determine whether your are under arrest, detained, or not legally required to go with them.

Personally I have never been arrested so I don't have experience in that department although there are sure to be people here to give you advice on that.

Detained is different, you can be handcuffed, and it would be wise to cooperate in this situation. When being detained YOU ARE REQUIRED to go with them. Check your local laws to find out how long you can legally be detained for, but in most cases they will only hold you for as long as they need to or until they give up. I personally was held for nine hours in a room with two chairs, a table, a recorder on the table and a camera in the corner, no glass. Generally they will interrogate you but you are not required to help, although helping may get you released sooner.

If you are not legally required to go with them, don't. That's all I have to say in that area.

[yawanur]

extract scopolamine from datura, dust 'em, and bolt!

[TheDarkRodent]

From www.uslaw.com

From Misdemeanor Drunk in Public to Felony Escape of Police Custody

An Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney is the Only Place to Turn to Avoid a Lengthy Prison Stay

Unfortunately for many people, criminal charges tend to follow after a night of drinking. Such was the case for a 24 year old man arrested on August 3, 2009. After a long night of drinking, the defendant was arrested for public intoxication; a misdemeanor charge that in California, under California Penal Code Section 647, could result in 6 months in jail, as well as fines. The arresting officer claimed that the he observed the man stumbling in the street around 3:00am. Sadly, the man’s troubles did not end there.

According to police, the man was placed in the back of the police vehicle while he was transported to the county jail. Once the police vehicle reached the jail, the man pulled his legs between his hand-cuffed wrists to get his arms in front of him. The man then broke the police vehicle’s window and climbed through. Police quickly stopped the man before he got too far. He was then charged with felony for trying to escape police custody. The new felony charge for attempting to escape carries a 20 year maximum sentence.

Of course it this is just California and the penalties for escape, as with most charges, vary from state to state but unless you know your facing some serious time escape attempts will always be a really bad idea. Your best bet when arrested is to keep you mouth shut and do not say anything other than to inform the arresting officer that you wish to exercise your 5th amendment rights. Be cooperative and polite in every way then wait to speak with an attorney. Once they have you in custody it is very likely that they already know who you are so an escape attempt, even if initially successful will only do two things. First it will only delay the inevitable as you will eventually get caught. Remember once you have been arrested and charged the statute of limitations no longer applies so even if it is 20 years later when you are apprehended you will still face the original charge. And secondly by even attempting to escape you are most likely adding a felony charge to your problems.

[-Fuck-]

http://www.articledashboard.com/Arti...orkout/1361016

If you want to break out of prison, Simply bend the bars.

[Brick Salesman]

I say running is alright if you've got warrants and you're rolled up on doing something illegal, or if you're on probation, or if you're in possession of an easily disposable amount of high class drugs (i'm high the wording is weird but basically ya), or on parole doing bad shit. etc.

Or if youre just a fuckign trackstar. or with a clean record.

[hotbod]

Originally Posted by Big Baby Jesus

Run into the woods; k-9 units will take like 3 hours to come out. Cops won't chase you into the woods either, you could just climb a tree and they'd never know. They would end up walking around for days while you're just laughing on a tree branch.

wouldnt the cops just need to look up?

[Lord hang man]

Originally Posted by spiralds123

Depends on when, in the middle of the day I doubt climbing a tree would work.

disclaimer: don't run into the woods during the day. They will find you.


night ops ftw

Originally Posted by hotbod

wouldnt the cops just need to look up?

I lol'd. but no, it's dark in this scenario.

[samguy700]

well first off, you dont seem to have finished the thread, wheres the evading capture bit?
secondly, if your in england then handcuffs look like this and if the office does it right will be attached left handin upperhole with plam up, right hand in lower hole with palm down, otherwise he will likely lock them with the keyholes up, if he doesent, as you can see with all the plastic grips it is still very hard to get out of.

to evade police first off be flexible, parkour/freerunning started off in the suburbs of paris as a way to get from A to B ASAP and as the crow flies, so no your faggot ass running dance will not help you, e flexible be fast, if your in a urban/suburban environment, get the fuck over a fence as quickly as possible and and bounce over the next one.
i advise doing squats with weights to help with jumping, hundred or so, thirty should do, to remain flexible, practice touching your toes, flexing and doing the splits, if youve already done freerunning/parkour then this shouldent be a problem seeying as your not under any illusion about being a faggot.

first rule of running from the police is know your enemy, if its a police choper your pretty much fucked, but go to crowded places or any big building wher you can go in and come out somewhere else.
if your being questioned first dont let the office come right up to you, stand tall so to come closer than a meter or so seems threatning, secondly, soon as you think your gonna be arrested BANG your gone, theres a tipping point at after which the officer is on edge ready for you to run, get out before that, sometimes instead of standing tall just act innocentwhen the officer asks and pay attention to the way your standing, like turn to where the officer is as if to point something out and then start a word and run off behind him, itll take him a split second to realise youve stopped talking and run off, thought go as quietly as possible, as in, dont grunt or whip your hand back.
the reason you haveto be gone like the wind is because its like fighting, you put all your energy into the first bit and youll end it, run as fast as possible, jump over fences in suburbia, hopefully urban suburbia where the gardens are only 4 or 5 metres apart, if the cop gets the impression your flying over anything in your way hell give up, remember dont stop running until your in a safe place, for example if you bounce over a line of houses with a cop chasing you and you loose him, once you get in an alley keep running till the next street and down a side alley (might have to jump/climb the gate, and remember you dont stop at the gate you jump over using your hands to help you, thats how parkour started) then down another street, if theres a fence/bush between you and a paralel street then jump over and head off down there, and try to zig zag as much as possible and make it as hard as possible for anyone to follow you while still getting the fuck out of that neightbourhood as fast as possible. and remember cop cars can only use roads, so it might not seem like much of a difference to jump over a wall from a street into one side of a cul-de-sac and then up and over the other side but it means the cop car has to go all the way round to the other road, by which time you should be gone, and mix it up a bit, if the cop sees you going over a wall into a cul-de-sac he'll assume your going over the nest wall into the street again, turn sharp right etc

secondly, once youve been clear of police for a good few hundred metres or 3 minutes or so, do an L shape and go into a totaly different neighbourhood and try and hide.
this is easyly done, it can beas simple as having a folded binliner in your pocket and going down the side alley of someones house and crouching with a bin liner over you, you can normaly see through them slightly which is usefull, always favour the thicker or more quiet ones, but remember a white ones looks odd when surounded by black ones so fit in.

secondly buy some cheap foldable clothes or something so you wont match the cops description, you could even stand at someones front foor holding leaflets and pretend to be stuffing them through the letterbox or make up some bs so if anyone comes past they just see a salesman, you might even get invited in .
once yourve changed your apearance somewhat, for example a red t-shirt to a blue one, you can then (if the cops arent scouring the area, hopefully you lost them and then turned and kept going) go to a cafe/bar/mall, ask to use the toilets or just get a trolley/drink/coffee/meal and fit in.
if the cops are still scouring the area, try and get a freind with a car to pick you up, otherwise, if you think its safe, stay put, and the "perfect"hiding place is not because they wont search every nook and cranny, but if it looks obvious then they might, this is the second reason you should have kept moving, they can get a police dog to sniff out all the bushes of one estate, but they cant get one to sniff out several neightbourhoods, and the faster you loose them and hide the further you could have gotten and the more possibilities you could be and the less chance of them finding you.
and whatever you do, i dont care if you know your hood like the back of your hand, its probably very small and could much easyly be searched if your seen running around a certain hood than if your seen traversing several, cops know you will stay in your teritory, so dont, branch out.

[Malice]

Sorry, I had to go somewhere.

Okay, I didn't get around to conning your way out of being arrested, so let's do it know:

Lots of room for creativity here. This will really depend on the situation. Whether or not some cons will work will depend on the officer's intelligence/gullibility and their emotional state. Learn to read body language and get into a conversation with them that will reveal to you their general level of intelligence, gullibility, and how they feel about you. Sometimes it will take elaborate cons and that require a lot of manipulation.

Here's a technique that someone I know has used. It may work in mass arrest situations:
Pretend you were never arrested and just walked over for some reason, such as to look for someone, maybe your "little brother", or do some amateur reporting(will probably piss off the cops and could lead to getting charged with something anyways). What you want to do during a mass arrest is remain inconspicuous; don't do anything that will make you stand out or make it likely that a cop will remember you. The good thing about mass arrests is that they often use plasti-cuffs since they likely won't have enough metal hadcuffs. If cops are starting to make arrests and there's no way you can escape move to the center of the group. The cops may use metal cuffs until they run out. Next you can deal with the cuffs when you have a good opportunity. Depending on what story you're planning to use you may have to wait for the right opportunity. For example, if a group comes nearby, even if the area is fenced off or something to keep the arrestees from them, you may be able to work your way over to them and then just leave. If there aren't any people nearby and it wouldn't be practical to just walk away you can wait until they bring in buses to transport people for processing. They may make you walk towards them and along the way you may come across a good area to escape. When my friend was arrested they made everyone walk towards the bus and it was by the end of a freeway exit and a residential street. He just pretended he was doing some amateur reporting and had just walked over. The other arrestees collaborated and none of the cops could remember if he had been arrested with them and had no proof otherwise. He got off with just a citation for disobeying a traffic sign.

Here's an idea that might work if the cops are waiting for you outside of some place. I'll use a scenario in which you were caught box stuffing and they were planning to ambush you outside. Once the cops approach you say something along the lines of, "I'm part of loss prevention. The guy still hasn't come out yet, we're sending LP outside in case something happens and to record everything. I'm going to meet up with some guys we called over(point towards the parking lot). Confidence is the key here.

I remember that in the book "Catch Me If You Can" Frank once pretended to be a law enforcement agent or something to get out of being arrested. Just flashed them his wallet and walked off. Learn how to sound confident and give off the body language of someone in a position of power and authority.

Anyone have any other cons you could use to avoid being arrested?

Next I think we should discuss how to escape while being transported to jail and while in there, and the areas of a jail you're transferred through and which might provide you the best opportunity to escape.

[ThunderDownUnder]

Watch the beginning of the movie "What's the worst that could happen?" with Martin Lawrence. Everytime I hear this question or contemplate what you are talking about, that movie comes to mind.

Also, fuck hairpins and stuff...just get a real handcuff key, which isn't hard to get, and make a little pouch for it behind the tag in the back inside of your pants.

As for making sure you don't get arrested altogether, like you said it depends on the situation. In that sort of thing, if you were to be going into people's houses it would be great for the person to be someone you either know, or have a loose affiliation with. For example, SWIM used to frequent a house that belonged to a kid's grandparents (SWIM hated the kid) because they always left there back door unlocked and didn't seem to call the cops even when they found a shit in the middle of there living room floor, or a piss covered bed, along with the obviousness of missing items.

If you were to get caught in a place like that, you can obviously just play it off that you were trying to sneak up on <insert name here>.

Unlike what some people are saying, it is always preferable to do things during the daytime. There are obvious disadvantages, such as being easily seen by the police that are attempting to pursue you, but it is a lot less sketch to walk into a random person's garage casually in the day time than it is at night.

If you are really in a tight spot, and you don't feel you can pull a Martin Lawrence (again, just watch the part of the movie where he escapes from the cops...I have wet dreams about it), a can of mace is your friend.

Police officers rarely travel together, unless it is a serious call. So if you have the loner guy on you, just 'give up' and wait until he is close enough to give him a good one right in the eyes.

But after that, make sure you are not in his immediate reach or be prepared for him to taser the fuck out of you.

Dunno if I can be bothered to type more, probably boring the hell out of you already. But yeah, watch that Martin Lawrence movie (all of it if you can stand it), some hilarious yet informative shit.

[Bender]

Cover ankle bracelets in foil blocks the signal. It gives you a chance to get away, and remove the device. The best technique is to not get yourself in this situation. Do your homework ahead of time. A big one is speed and distance. The quicker you can wide. The gap between you and the officer the better chance you have. Along with speed goes the amount of time you have before back up arrives ect.

Running through a river will temporarly throw off your sent from dogs, along with the stuff hunters use so the deer don't smell them. If your being followed by dog the best thing to do is get In a body of water, spray yourself with somehing strong (confuse the dog when he picks up your skin cells.) and get to a vehcile asap.

[Djaqaver]

Run to the woods.

[Crashwangdoodle]

Originally Posted by Pandoras Assassin

Running through a river will temporarly throw off your sent from dogs, along with the stuff hunters use so the deer don't smell them. If your being followed by dog the best thing to do is get In a body of water, spray yourself with somehing strong (confuse the dog when he picks up your skin cells.) and get to a vehcile asap.

Naaaah, Mythbuster already proved that wrong

[Danger]

flex your wrists when they try to cuff you, they usually put them on a couple links loose. This way you can easily slip out of them without picking the locks... I seen this on a show about harry houdini.. Tried it when I was 15, it worked... got busted not long after escaping though.. i was pretty fat at the time.. I bet I could dodge them no problem now though..

Carry around a can of bearspray too, if you think dogs are coming spray down your feet n giver fuckin beans.

[PellucidMooseGrid]

Originally Posted by Runaway_Stapler

extract scopolamine from datura, dust 'em, and bolt!

would this really woerk?

[Staples_AOK]

bearspray for the win

[hotbod]

Originally Posted by Crashwangdoodle

Naaaah, Mythbuster already proved that wrong

you also have to factor the direction of the wind and as far as i know mythbusters didnt do that.

[Malice]

I think that if you get sent to jail your best chance to escape would be if you faked a medical condition and were sent to a hospital. If you conceal a handcuff key on you escaping could be fairly easy as long as you're not under constant supervision.

Anyone have any information on the procedures they take when prisoners are sent to a hospital?

[S'trak'yn'yar Krongoth]

Originally Posted by Crashwangdoodle

Naaaah, Mythbuster already proved that wrong

What about some sort of stink bomb droppage followed by lots of aerosol deodorant as you run?

[mksnowboarder]

I'd go with fake your own death. They stop looking once you "die."

mike

[Pooka]

Originally Posted by S'trak'yn'yar Krongoth

What about some sort of stink bomb droppage followed by lots of aerosol deodorant as you run?

Like a trail of Axe?

I think that would just piss the cops off. It might actually make it easier for the dogs to follow you, because it would be like a scent trail.

[SHARP]

Originally Posted by Big Baby Jesus

Run into the woods; k-9 units will take like 3 hours to come out.

I heard a cop mention that "a trail is usually easier for the dog to follow, if it's a couple of hours old", I don't know if that's true though...

But what I do know, is that the dogs will follow a trail by criss-crossing it, and that according to SAS the most effective way to, if not lose the pursuing dog, then at least buy yourself some extra time, is to make 90 degree breaks to either side regularly, instead of just going in a straight line, as there's a better chance the dog will lose the trail and have to spend time sniffing around before it (hopefully won't) pick it up again.

Also, consider if the dog handler might have an idea of where you could be going, and prove him wrong.

[Lifeismyjoke]

Hop a couple of fences/gardens most wont follow or hit the train tracks police wont endanger there life so wont follow onto train lines.

[S'trak'yn'yar Krongoth]

Originally Posted by pooka

Like a trail of Axe?

I think that would just piss the cops off. It might actually make it easier for the dogs to follow you, because it would be like a scent trail.

Dam, I'm guessing a dog's noise is too sensitive for an unperfumed deodoriser to be much use either?

[flvrocha]

I'd like to propose a new situation:

Let's say that you messed up and you have something the police is really looking for. Your start point is the very north of CA and the only way to escape is going to the south and cross the border with Mexico (I'm not worried of how to cross the border, just get there).

Assumptions:

1. you cannot cross the border with other states. You have to go down through CA. The state police have been warned.
2. you've already escaped from the crime scene. The police is looking for you but they don't know where you are.
3. you've already changed your appearance significantly.
4. you have a fake but valid ID and driver's license.
5. you have a fake but valid credit card and you rent a car.
6. you have cash. So you will have to use the fake credit card only if needed.

Now, you take the car and head to the south. If you were the police, what techniques could be used to get you? Note that you may have to pass through a few control points. You may be stopped or not.

[Asheville]

Originally Posted by S'trak'yn'yar Krongoth

What about some sort of stink bomb droppage followed by lots of aerosol deodorant as you run?

Maybe instead of carrying an arsenal of stink bombs and deodorant cans you could just not do the undoubtedly stupid shit that made the cops start chasing you in the first place. Let me guess, shoplifting Axe from Wal-Mart?

[ysr2096]

Originally Posted by Asheville

Let me guess, shoplifting Axe from Wal-Mart?

Douche! I don't know what stinky peeps you roll with, but in my august circle of best friends, we like to look and smell fabulous. Girls seem to like it too. But you wouldn't know about girls, huh?

[SlyGirl]

My question is about handcuffs. I have read the other posts about carrying a spare handcuff key or a lockpick, but I would like advice on how either of those are going to work if you are cuffed correctly.

I was talking about this with a friend of mine who told me if they cuff you the right way you can't get out even if you have a key. To prove it she cuffed me, hands behind the back, with the backs of the hands facing each other and the keyholes on the cuffs facing up. She didn't even bother to double lock them. She just handed me the key. No way could I get the key into the keyholes. I tried for like 15 minutes and gave up. Then she kept me cuffed for another hour. "So you will know what it feels like if you ever get busted," she said, "and you won't panic." LOL for her, not so much for me.

So, if it is possible to release yourself from cuffs if you are cuffed that way I would sure like to know.

[Malice]

Nope, not true, unless they're hinged handcuffs. I bought some M-tech handcuffs off of eBay for about $15 total (highly recommended) and after practicing for a while I can always get out of them in under 30 seconds regardless of where the keyholes are facing. My technique is to first make sure the notch on the key is facing the right way, feel where the keyhole is with my thumb, angle the cuff so that it's easier to enter the key parallel to the hole, move the key along the surface in the general area that I felt the keyhole in until it hits it, then just keep moving it there and making sure it's flat against the surface of the cuff until it goes in.

If they're hinged handcuffs with the keyholes facing up you're pretty much fucked unless you have a custom made tool.

[SlyGirl]

Well, thanks. I wasn't talking about hinged cuffs, which I agree would be much worse to get out of, just linked handcuffs. I will try what you said some time when I have a friend around who will release me if I fail. Not sure what you said will work for me. I bet you've got nimble fingers. We'll see.

[livefree]

NOthing to see here....