A gangster who made a Hollywood-esque helicopter jailbreak was arrested in northern France on Wednesday after three months on the run, sources close to the case said, reports RFI.
Notorious French robber Redoine Faid was apprehended in the Oise region north of Paris along with his brother Rachid and two other family members, one source said, confirming earlier media reports.
A massive manhunt was launched after Faid's daring July 1 escape, in which two heavily armed accomplices used smoke bombs and angle grinders to break through doors and whisk him to a waiting helicopter.
Faid, a career criminal with multiple convictions for armed robbery who had escaped from prison once before, was sprung from the jail in Reau, 50 kilometres (30 miles) southeast of Paris.
Around 100 police were deployed to track down the 46-year-old, who has cited movie baddies such as Tony Montana in "Scarface" as an inspiration and said he discovered his "calling" at the age of 12.
Weapons were seized in the raid which unfolded calmly in the town of Creil in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the source.
Outgoing interior minister Gérard Collomb praised the local police force in a tweet for their "commitment, bravery and determination".