Police discover missing inmate hiding in prison ceiling

An inmate missing from his cell in a prison in Colorado, USA, was later discovered by police hiding in the ceiling.

After 34-year-old Cody Crocker was found to be missing, a prison lockdown was put in place and a perimeter search using K9 police dogs conducted. After little less than an hour, Crocker was found hiding in the ceiling space of a common area in the Douglas County Detention Center in Castle Rock, north of Colorado Springs.

After being examined by medical staff and found to be unharmed, he was placed back in his cell.

Crocker was being held on charges of attempting to influence a public servant, forgery, simulation impersonation and related offences, shoplifting, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Initially detained by the Lone Tree Police Department on 5 February, Crocker was being held on a $100 (£72) bond.

Local media reports that it is not known how he got into the ceiling.

A Douglas County Sheriff's office Facebook post said that detention centre staff were confident the inmate could not have escaped the secure internal perimeter of the jail via the ceiling space.

Crocker was discovered when staff searching for him heard noises in the ceiling. After a short dialogue, the Facebook post says, he was brought down and returned to his cell.

Additional charges are now pending.