(Photo : David McNew/Getty Images)
Authorities said the inmates used "primitive tools" to escape from prison, but they got arrested hours later with the help of the community.
Two inmates escaped from a Virginia jail on Monday by crawling and climbing to freedom, only to be caught the following morning at a pancake restaurant.
John Garza, 37, and Arley Nemo, 43, have been taken back into jail and are facing fresh charges, according to the sheriff's office in Newport News, roughly an hour away north of Virginia Beach, per a report from NPR.
The sheriff's office is conducting a criminal investigation and an internal investigation to prevent a similar incident from occurring again, a statement read.
The two had been imprisoned at the Newport News Jail Annex, a medium-security Virginia prison, for months on a variety of charges.
Garza had been locked up in Virginia prison since the end of December on various charges like contempt of court, misdemeanors, and failing to appear. Since his arrest in October, Nemo has been held on numerous charges, including those of fraud with credit cards, forgery, burglary tool possession, grand larceny, and contempt of court.
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Inmates Used 'Primitive-Made Tools' To Escape Virginia Prison
The Newport News Sheriff's Office stated in a statement that the inmates were reported missing around 7:15 p.m. on Monday. Deputies said that during the preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the men had used "primitive-made tools" consisting of a toothbrush and a metal object to take advantage of a flaw in the building's design, according to a CBS News report.
The sheriff's office said that the inmates used the tools to free themselves from the ties holding the bars in place, and then escaped with the help of the rebar they had freed. Garza and Nemo escaped the Virginia prison by climbing over a wall.
The sheriff's office claimed tips led them to an IHOP on Mercury Boulevard in Hampton, which is open 24/7 and is approximately 7 miles from the prison. Hampton police were dispatched to the eatery at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday and apprehended them without incident, according to NBC News.
Deputy Sheriff Gabriel Morgan expressed appreciation to the citizens for their help.
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