Daring Escape from Milan Opera Reclusion House
A 41-year-old Albanian inmate, identified as Toma Taulant, has successfully escaped from the Milan Opera Reclusion House in Italy during the early hours of Sunday, December 7, 2025. Taulant, who is serving a sentence scheduled to end in October 2048, reportedly executed a 'movie-like' escape by sawing through the bars of his cell window and scaling down the prison wall using knotted sheets.
Method of Escape and Ongoing Manhunt
The dramatic escape unfolded overnight, with authorities raising the alarm around 08:00 AM when Taulant was discovered missing from his cell. After cutting through the cell bars, he used a makeshift rope of knotted sheets to descend. He then managed to overcome the prison's perimeter wall, which stands at an imposing six meters high. It remains unclear how he scaled this final barrier or if he received any external assistance. Penitentiary Police and other law enforcement agencies have launched an extensive search operation, with investigators reportedly analyzing security camera footage to reconstruct his movements and determine his possible whereabouts.
The Fugitive: Toma Taulant's History of Escapes
Toma Taulant is no stranger to prison breaks, earning him monikers such as the 'king of escapes' or 'mago della fuga' (escape wizard). This marks his fourth successful escape from custody. His previous escapes include:
- From Terni prison in 2009.
- From Parma prison in February 2013.
- From Lantin prison in Belgium in December 2013.
Prison Conditions Under Scrutiny
The escape has brought renewed attention to the challenging conditions within the Milan Opera Reclusion House and the Italian prison system at large. Gennarino De Fazio, general secretary of the Uilpa Penitentiary Police, highlighted severe overcrowding at the facility, stating that 1,338 inmates are currently housed in just 918 available places, representing 153% overcrowding. Furthermore, De Fazio pointed to a significant staff shortage, with only 533 officers managing the prison when at least 811 are needed, a deficit of 34%. He criticized these issues as indicative of a broader failure in prison policies implemented over the past 25 years.
5 Comments
Africa
They call him an 'escape king', I call him a menace who should stay locked up.
Bermudez
The overcrowding and understaffing at the prison are clearly major issues, making escapes almost inevitable. However, we also need to ensure dangerous individuals are securely held.
Habibi
What a joke. Our prisons are clearly not fit for purpose if this keeps happening.
ZmeeLove
While his escape shows incredible resourcefulness, we can't forget he's a convicted criminal. The focus should be on public safety, not celebrating his 'skill'.
Muchacho
It's fascinating how he managed such a daring escape, but this highlights serious systemic failures in prison security and management. Both aspects deserve attention.