New York--Two convicted killers, who cut their way out of a maximum security jail near the Canadian border, probably had help from prison workers in their movie-style run for freedom, New York's governor said Monday.
Richard Matt, 49, and David Sweat, 35, used power tools to cut through walls at the all-male Clinton Correctional Facility in the small town of Dannemora overnight Friday to Saturday in New York state.
They then crawled to freedom through tunnels, leaving behind a taunting note on a yellow Post-it saying "Have a Nice Day" next to a toothy grin.
Police backed by K-9 units and helicopters have scoured the area, and alerted officials on the Mexican and Canadian borders but there has been no trace of the two men. Police admit they could be anywhere.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he believed they were assisted -- "probably from the inside."
"You have three types of employees at a prison. You have the guards, civilian employees and private contractors who come in to do work," he told NBC television on Monday.
"We are going through the civilian employees and the private contractors first. I would be shocked if a corrections guard was involved in this. But they definitely had (help) otherwise they couldn't have done this on their own."
US media reported that a female prison worker was questioned by police and removed from her post in connection with the investigation.
The New York Post said the worker may have been wooed by Matt, whom the paper described as "an infamous lady killer."
There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to their arrest and a new tip line for members of the public to call.
"They're dangerous wherever they are in the country," said Cuomo.
AFP
