Michael Burham, the inmate with survivalist skills who escaped a prison in Pennsylvania, has been captured in a wooded area near Warren after more than a week on the run, authorities announced Saturday.

A Warren County official said that they “are preparing an isolation cell at Warren County Jail” for Burham but do not intend to keep him past Sunday. It is unclear where Burham will be transferred after that, but he will not be housed in the prison where he escaped, officials said.

Burham broke out of Warren County Prison in northwestern Pennsylvania shortly before midnight on July 6 using tied-up bed-sheets and elevating himself on exercise equipment, according to a county spokesperson.

Authorities had described him as a “dangerous” inmate with military experience and survivalist knowledge after his escape from the 140-capacity facility that holds inmates awaiting trial or who are sentenced to two years or less behind bars.His capture happened after Pennsylvania State Police got a call to their tip line Saturday from residents reporting “a suspicious individual” before 4 p.m. ET in Warren County’s Conowingo Township, Lt. Col. George Bivens said during a Saturday news conference.

A married couple went outside to check on their dog after hearing the animal barking near the back of their property, Bivens said. They rode over in a golf cart, found Burham and asked what he was doing there, Bivens said.Burham, who was dirty and wearing his prison pants inside out, told the couple he was camping, Bivens said.

“The owner of the property recognized him, got his wife back into the golf cart and drove away from there so that he could immediately contact us as Burham fled into the woods,”

Bivens said.Law enforcement, using police dogs, tracked him through the woods. Burham was taken into custody shortly before 6 p.m., authorities said.

Last edited by Spunky (7/15/2023 9:05 pm)