International fugitive Taulant Toma, a 42-year-old Albanian-born inmate known widely across European correctional facilities as the ‘meesterontsnapper,’ was recaptured by police in the Spanish province of Tarragona on Friday, according to reports from El País and NOS Nieuws. Spanish law enforcement tracked Toma down and arrested him after identifying the fugitive through his distinctive tattoos and a noticeable scar on his cheek, despite the forged identity papers he carried at the time of his apprehension.
The Recapture in Tarragona and Pending Extradition to Italy
Toma had been a wanted man since December 2025, when he broke out of a high-security prison in Rome. According to local authorities, he is currently being held at the Mas d’Enric prison in Tarragona while paperwork for his extradition is finalized. Because of outstanding prison sentences remaining on his record, Toma faces an inevitable transfer back to Italy. A leading inspector with the Spanish police noted that facility staff at Mas d’Enric have already been officially warned regarding Toma’s high-risk profile and unique history of evasions.
Did you know? Taulant Toma earned his moniker across multiple correctional facilities in Europe by utilizing wildly different breakout methods, ranging from bedsheets and a file used as a saw to coordinated human ladders.
A History of Audacious European Prison Breaks
Toma’s record of escaping secure facilities spans more than fifteen years and multiple countries. In 2009, at just 25 years old, he made his very first successful breakout from a prison in Terni, Italy, where he was serving time for an armed robbery conviction. According to historical reporting, he used knotted bedsheets to scale down the structure. Italian authorities recaptured him two months later, only for Toma to break out of the Parma prison four years afterward using a remarkably similar bedsheet method.
His evasion tactics quickly evolved after crossing international borders. Just half a year after his Parma escape, Belgian police apprehended Toma, though they lost track of him within months, according to Flemish broadcaster VRT. Rather than relying on textiles, Toma orchestrated a human pyramid with the help of fellow inmates. This human structure allowed him to scale the facility’s outer perimeter wall before executing a daring 6-meter drop into a waiting getaway car.
From Milan to Spain: The Evolution of Houdini Tactics
Law enforcement finally caught up with Toma in 2015, leading to his eventual repatriation to Italy four years later in 2019. Fully aware of his reputation for Houdini-style escapes, Italian correctional officials placed him inside a heavily fortified, high-security prison in Milan. However, the extra precautions failed.
By late 2025, Toma broke out of the Milan facility using improvised tools, relying on little more than a file used as a saw, basic bedsheets, and wooden broomsticks, as detailed by El País. That escape initiated the manhunt that ultimately terminated in Tarragona. As correctional agencies review security protocols in light of his latest exploits, Italian officials await his return to finish serving his active sentences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Taulant Toma?
Taulant Toma is a 42-year-old Albanian-born inmate dubbed the “meesterontsnapper” by European media after successfully breaking out of four different prisons across Italy and Belgium over his criminal career.
How many times has Toma escaped from prison?
According to verified reports, Toma has successfully escaped from prison four distinct times—three times in Italy and once in Belgium.
Where was Taulant Toma recaptured?
Spanish police arrested Toma in the province of Tarragona in northeastern Spain after recognizing him by his prominent tattoos and facial scar while he carried forged identification.
Where is Toma currently being held?
Toma is currently detained at the Mas d’Enric prison in Tarragona, Spain, awaiting the completion of administrative paperwork required to extradite him back to Italy.