Yarl's Wood: Images released of detainees who fled after riot

  • Published
Luftim Hallaci, Arnold Lleshaj and Ervin MoratiImage source, Bedfordshire Police
Image caption,

Police said Luftim Hallaci, Arnold Lleshaj and Ervin Morati were believed to be the last of the escapees unaccounted for

Police searching for detainees who escaped from an immigration removal centre after a riot have released images of three men they want to find.

A group of 13 people escaped from Yarl's Wood, near Bedford, on 28 April.

In total, 10 people have been arrested in connection with the breakout on suspicion of offences including escaping custody and assisting an offender.

Officers have asked anyone with information to contact them.

Two men have also been charged with drugs offences.

Arnold Lleshaj, 27, Ervin Morati, 20, and Luftim Hallaci, 20, were believed to be the last of the escapees unaccounted for, Bedfordshire Police said.

Officers said five people were detained by police shortly after the escape.

The eight who evaded recapture - seven in their 20s and one in their 30s - were from Albania.

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in north London and another man arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Previously, the force said three men were arrested in London and West Yorkshire.

Image source, SBNA
Image caption,

A riot at Yarl's Wood detention centre, just north of Bedford, saw 13 people flee the unit

Det Supt William Hodgkinson said: "This has been a co-ordinated effort from police forces across multiple counties and has resulted in 10 people being arrested for a variety of offences including suspicion of escaping from the centre or assisting or harbouring those who involved.

"We will continue to do everything we can to identify and track down those responsible.

"I would appeal directly to these three men to hand yourselves in - you should also know that anyone who is helping you in any way will also be arrested and put before the courts."

Yarl's Wood, in Milton Ernest, is an immigration removal centre where people with disputed immigration status can be detained without a defined time limit.

It has been run by Serco since 2007.

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