We’ve all seen some strange attempts at hiding, but this one might just take the crown. An escaped inmate in Louisiana was caught on camera trying to disguise himself in a garbage can after making a break for it — and yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds.
The great escape (kind of)
The man in question, 47-year-old Shon Alick Jolivette, was being transported to a local hospital in Lafayette when he somehow managed to slip away from authorities. Instead of laying low or heading for the woods like you’d expect from an escape movie, Jolivette chose a much smellier option: hiding inside a trash can.
According to local reports, Jolivette scaled a backyard fence before crawling into the can, clearly hoping nobody would think to look there. Unfortunately for him, security cameras caught the entire act — and the footage quickly started making the rounds online.
Not exactly “Shawshank Redemption”
Unlike Hollywood’s grand prison escapes, this one ended almost as soon as it began. Deputies tracked Jolivette down quickly, and his trashy hiding spot didn’t do him any favors. Within minutes, he was pulled out of the garbage and taken back into custody.
Local residents couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the scene. One neighbor told reporters, “You’d think if someone’s escaping, they’d run as far as they could. Not… jump in a garbage can.”
Internet reactions
As expected, social media had a field day with this story.
One Facebook user wrote:
“Imagine risking it all just to become Oscar the Grouch for 15 minutes.”
Another added:
“Bro thought he was Solid Snake hiding in a cardboard box, but chose a trash can instead.”
And someone else joked:
“Garbage day came early for this guy.”
Why he was in custody
Jolivette wasn’t just on a joyride. The inmate was already in custody facing charges, and the trip to the Lafayette hospital was part of his care under supervision. Officials haven’t detailed exactly how he slipped away, but the incident has reportedly sparked a review of transport procedures to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.
The bigger picture
While the internet can’t stop cracking jokes about the failed hideout, authorities emphasize that escapes like this are serious matters. Even if Jolivette’s attempt ended in embarrassment, it’s a reminder of the risks officers face when moving inmates outside of secure facilities.
Still, it’s safe to say this will go down as one of the least successful prison escapes ever attempted. Instead of outsmarting law enforcement, Jolivette’s trash-can stunt made him the butt of countless online jokes.
The takeaway
If there’s one lesson here, it’s this: if you’re trying to pull off a great escape, maybe don’t choose the smelliest hiding spot in the neighborhood. Because while Jolivette thought he was being clever, the cameras — and the internet — caught every second of his garbage plan.
