Man escapes prison twice, wife sends fax

Spain - To break out of a modern prison is one thing, but to do it twice is quite something. That’s exactly what 57-year-old Jose Carlos Serna did, and each time he escaped from custody by the same method. His wife sent a fax to court officials, ordering that they release him, and they did what she commanded each time. He was in a cell at Arganda del Rey courthouse awaiting trial when officers received a fax purportedly from a regional court. It was followed by a phone call from someone claiming to be a court official, corroborating the release order. Officers did try to verify the order, but their calls went unanswered. When they received a second call, confirming Serena’s release, he was freed and put into a waiting taxi. Both of the calls were from his wife, Gema Maria Serna, who police tracked down to a house in the northern suburb of San Lorenzo del Escorial.  More…