Mafia suspected of bribing guards in mobster's acrobatic prison escape

Ryszard Niemczyk, the alleged assassin of the godfather of the notorious Pruszkow Mafia, staged a dramatic escape from a high-security prison in Wadowice at the weekend. He was last seen Sunday morning during the usual stroll across the "caged" veranda, under the close supervision of two armed wardens. Nevertheless, Niemczyk was able to apply his acrobatic skills to plow through the roof and swiftly somersault into a fast car outside the prison where his henchmen had been waiting. He was whisked away within seconds. The police mobilized up to 300 officers and border-guards, mounting roadblocks across all arteries radiating from the city, but to no avail. Most crime specialists are convinced the escape could have been coordinated with some corrupt officials in the prison security service. Contrary to opinions that the law enforcement institutions have eliminated the Mafia in Poland, Niemczyk's escape suggests such conclusions are premature. An angry Justice Minister Lech Kaczynski told journalists, investigations would be swift and heads may have to roll in the prison services. (Zycie, pp. 1, 3)