The Newport News Sheriff’s Office says that two inmates, aged 37 and 43, went missing from their cell in the Newport News jail annex during a routine head count on Monday evening.
The men used improvised tools made from a toothbrush and a metal object to exploit a weakness in the jail’s construction design and access rebars between the walls. They then used the rebar to further their escape and scaled a containment wall around the jail.
The authorities sought the public’s help to locate the men, and they were subsequently apprehended early Tuesday at an IHOP restaurant in Hampton, following a tip from other patrons.
The inmates were identified as a Hampton resident facing charges of contempt of court and probation violations, and a Gloucester resident being held on charges of credit card fraud, forgery, grand larceny, and probation violation.
The sheriff’s office is currently investigating the incident to prevent future escapes, and charges related to the escape are pending.
