Crime

Escape of Leonardo Bertulazzi from house arrest in Buenos Aires

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Leonardo Bertulazzi, a 74-year-old former member of Italy's Red Brigades, escaped from house arrest in downtown Buenos Aires while awaiting extradition to Italy. He reportedly descended by rope from the fifth-floor balcony of his apartment after removing and tampering with his electronic ankle monitor, then climbed over a metal fence. Security-camera footage reportedly showed him falling onto the pavement.

Bertulazzi had been sentenced in absentia in Italy to 27 years in prison for involvement in the 1977 kidnapping of ship engineer Pietro Costa and participation in a criminal organization. His final appeal against extradition had been rejected hours before his escape. He remains at large, and the Argentine government is offering a reward of about €12,000 for information leading to his arrest.