Belgian Prison Escapee Eludes Capture Due to Delayed Alert System

At the national level, the alert was triggered three hours after the escape of the inmate Oualid Sekkaki and the four others, reports Het Laatste Nieuws. A time that could have allowed him to flee without a hitch to France, the Netherlands or Germany, with the car waiting for him outside the Turnhout prison.

A police officer in West Flanders, who would stop the car during a routine check and verify his name, could realize that he was a man actively sought by the police.

At the European level, the alert about Oualid Sekkaki’s escape was not issued until the following day; which allowed the escapee to have about 21 hours to leave the Schengen area. As for the international alert, it was not made until 85 hours later when Interpol added the fugitive’s name to its database.