Willie Sutton
1901–1980Willie Sutton, while imprisoned, dressed as a guard and carried ladders across the yard after dark, yelling when searchlights illuminated him.
Particulars
Willie Sutton was sentenced to life imprisonment as a fourth‑time offender and transferred to the Philadelphia County Prison, Holmesburg section, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
On February 10, 1947, Sutton and other prisoners, dressed as prison guards, carried two ladders across the prison yard to the wall after dark; when the prison's searchlights hit him, Sutton yelled, “It’s all right!” and no one stopped him.
Compiled from Wikipedia. Automated record.