A seasoned criminal serving a 73-year sentence in a Brazilian jail donned his teenage daughter’s clothes, a long wig, and a silicon mask in a startling makeover, which, however, failed to fool the guards into letting him out.
Clauvino da Silva, 42, was stopped by the guards of Gericino Penitentiary Complex in western Rio de Janeiro as he was about to leave the facility through the front door dressed as a woman.
The inspectors almost fell for the trick but grew suspicious of the “girl” who was acting nervously at the last moment.
They were in for a bigger surprise when they discovered that the supposed girl, dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a pink T-shirt, a grey blazer, and white sandals, was not a girl at all, but her gangster father.
TRAFICANTE PRESO É PEGO TENTANDO FUGIR DA CADEIA VESTIDO DE MULHER EM BANGU
Um preso foi flagrado por agentes penitenciários tentando fugir do presídio Gabriel Ferreira Castilho, conhecida como Bangu 3, vestido de mulher. Clauvino da Silva, conhecido como Ronca pic.twitter.com/csUWaKyZf9
— Favela Caiu no Face (@FavelaCaiunoFC) August 3, 2019
A video has emerged of Silva taking layers of clothes, a hairpiece, and spectacles off, and finally, removing the silicon mask under the officers’ watchful eye. He then states his full name to the camera.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon during a visit by Silva’s relatives, including his 19-year-old daughter. Police are now looking into whether the teenager, who, per Silva’s plan, was to stay in his cell instead of him, was an accomplice in the plot.
Preso, Clauvino da Silva, traficante de Angra dos Reis, foi pego tentando escapar de Bangu 3 com máscara, peruca e roupas femininas | Crédito: Divulgação pic.twitter.com/PyjKRpCydK
— O Globo_Rio (@OGlobo_Rio) August 3, 2019
Police believe that the intricate “equipment” used by Silva in his improvised drag was brought by one of the visitors, among whom was a pregnant woman that had not been searched.
In his botched escape attempt, Silva appeared to have relied on his short stature. Known as ‘Baixinho’ or ‘Shorty’, he was among the senior members of the Red Command drug trafficking gang. It is not the first time he has attempted an escape. In 2013, he was one of about 30 inmates who fled the Vicente Piragibe prison in Rio through the sewer system.