Inmate Uses Pencil to Escape South Carolina Detention Center
Security footage shows Charles Alexander Dieterich used a pencil to open his cell, and deputies recaptured him after he assaulted one during the chase.
- On September 1, 2026, inmate Charles Alexander Dieterich escaped the Chesterfield County Detention Center in South Carolina by using a pencil to manipulate his cell door lock, as captured in surveillance video.
- Dieterich remained in custody due to an active North Carolina hold after refusing to sign an extradition waiver, despite having completed his South Carolina sentence while confined in the B-Work Camp section.
- After leaving his cell, the inmate slipped through an unlocked kitchen door used by staff, then scaled a fence topped with barbed wire while other inmates alerted detention staff to the empty housing area.
- Deputies recaptured Dieterich at approximately 4:48 p.m. near the Chesterfield County Shop on Jones Road; he assaulted a deputy during apprehension before being taken into custody.
- Following arrest, Dieterich was transported to McLeod Health Cheraw for treatment of barbed-wire injuries, medically cleared, and returned to the Chesterfield County Detention Center.
14 Articles
14 Articles
The Economic Times
Times of IndiaWatch how South Carolina inmate escaped jail using a pencil in viral video; here’s what happened next
An inmate executed a notable escape by fashioning a key from a pencil to unlock his cell and swiftly navigated through the kitchen area of the detention center. He found an unlocked door and then scaled a barbed-wire fence. Alert inmates promptly notified the staff, deputies were able to apprehend the escapee soon after his bold flight from custody.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Prisoner escapes jail cell using just a pencil
A prisoner used a pencil to get out of a cell and escape a detention center. Charles Dietrich, 30, of New York, was being held at Chesterfield County Detention Center in South Carolina after being charged over a stolen vehicle and drugs. Surveillance video from 4.20pm on September 1 showed him lifting the door of a cell in the older part of the complex and putting a pencil in the locking mechanism, which allowed him to slide the door open. He th…
Viral Video Shows South Carolina Inmate Charles Dieterich Using Pencil To Escape Jail, Recaptured Within 30 Minutes
A South Carolina inmate used a pencil to manipulate his cell lock and escape from the Chesterfield County Detention Center on September 1, officials said. Charles Alexander Dieterich was recaptured within 30 minutes after climbing a barbed-wire fence and suffering cuts. He was treated at a hospital and returned to custody as officials review the jail’s security. Viral Video Shows South Carolina Inmate Charles Dieterich Using Pencil To Escape Jai…
A South Carolina prison inmate used a pencil to break out of his cell. The unusual escape attempt was caught on video. How did he do it?
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
