EUPEN, BELGIUM – A dramatic police chase and shootout on Thursday led to the arrest of French career criminal Antonio Ferrara, also known as the “King of Escapes,” along with his accomplices in the German-speaking city of Eupen, Belgium’s Liège province.
The operation was conducted by Belgian Federal Police in collaboration with French authorities and specialist anti-gang units. The incident unfolded at approximately 07:30 in Eupen’s Rotenberg neighbourhood, where gunshots and heavy police presence startled local residents.
Authorities had been tracking Ferrara and his gang after a failed armed robbery attempt in Germany. When their vehicles were spotted crossing into Belgium, Federal Police launched a coordinated pursuit, forcing one of the suspect vehicles off the road.
However, the second vehicle attempted to flee, leading to an exchange of gunfire between the suspects and law enforcement. According to reports from the Belgian German-language newspaper Grenz Echo, one police officer and one of Ferrara’s accomplices sustained injuries during the shootout.
Photographs from the scene showed one of the suspects’ vehicles with a bullet-riddled windshield, underscoring the intensity of the confrontation. French special forces, who joined the operation, restrained and blindfolded three of the detained suspects before transporting them away.
Authorities confirmed that a total of 12 individuals were arrested during the operation, with additional suspects detained in Brussels. Search operations are ongoing across France and Belgium. The Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office released a statement detailing the international collaboration involved in the operation.
However, local authorities in Eupen expressed surprise at the large-scale police action occurring in their jurisdiction without prior notification. The operation was conducted primarily between Federal Belgian and French authorities, catching local law enforcement off guard.
A Criminal History Marked by Daring Escapes
Antonio Ferrara is one of France’s most notorious armed robbers, infamous for his elaborate prison escapes and high-profile heists. Born in Italy, Ferrara has been convicted of multiple violent crimes, including armed robbery, attempted murder, and orchestrating two spectacular prison breaks.
His first escape took place in 1998 when he fled a hospital in France’s Essonne department. In 2003, he masterminded a dramatic prison break from a facility in Val-de-Marne, where accomplices disguised as police officers stormed the site and used rocket launchers to breach the prison walls.
Although he was recaptured four months later, Ferrara’s legend as a master escape artist was cemented. After serving a lengthy sentence, he was released from a prison in Northern France in 2022.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed Ferrara’s arrest via social media, thanking Belgian authorities for their “exemplary cooperation” in bringing the criminal to justice.
The arrests mark a significant blow to organised crime in France and Belgium, as Ferrara and his gang remain under investigation for their involvement in multiple high-stakes robberies across Europe. Further details regarding their prosecution and extradition are expected in the coming days.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
