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Fugitive With Hands Cuffed Behind Back At-Large After Crawling Out Police Cruiser Cage In PA

A former convict has become a sort of smooth criminal, or Houdini-style escaped artist, wriggling away from police in central Pennsylvania on Saturday, Oct. 8, authorities say.

Richard Blystone and a Mifflin County Regional police department vehicle.

Richard Blystone and a Mifflin County Regional police department vehicle.

Photo Credit: Mifflin County Regional police department

Mifflin County Regional police received a tip that a wanted man was seen at the Minit Mart in Reedsville at approximately 7 p.m., according to a release by the department. 

The man was identified as Richard Allen Blystone, 38, of Burnham, who is wanted in the county for failure to pay fines, the MCRPD stated in a release on Sunday. 

Blystone has a lengthy court record in the county, most recently involving convictions for retail theft in 2020 and resisting arrest in 2016, court records show. 

The responding officer took Blystone "into custody without incident, handcuffing him behind his back and placing him in the rear of his cruiser. Within a minute of the officer re-entering the store to retrieve Blystone's belongings before transporting him to jail, Blystone managed to crawl through the cage window into the front of the cruiser and exit out of the passenger side door," police say 

Blystone is once again a wanted man, but no longer just for fine, possibly related to a previous retail theft conviction. 

For this magician-style escapade he has been charged with six additional misdemeanors including Flight To Avoid Apprehension, Trial, or Punishment; Escape; Theft By Unlaw Taking-Movable Property; Receiving Stolen Property; and two drug-related charges, according to his latest court docket. 

He was last seen in the Reedsville area wearing a blue shirt with a black undershirt, jeans a black beanie. He is described as being approximately 5'4" tall and weighing 135 lbs, the release details. 

Anyone with information regarding Blystone's whereabouts is requested to contact the Mifflin County Regional police at (717)-248-1900. 

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