5 inmates crawled through pipes and vents to escape Missouri jail, police say

Five inmates escaped from a county jail in Farmington, Missouri, on Jan. 17 through plumbing vents and pipes, authorities said.

The inmates, identified as Kelly McSean, Dakota Pace, Aaron Sebastian, LuJuan Tucker and Michael Wilkins, were able to gain access to the rooftop of the St. Francois County Detention Center through the building's plumbing chase, the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The five inmates then made their way to the ground and discarded their orange jumpsuits, according to the sheriff's office. They were seen on surveillance footage wearing white thermal leggings, white boxers or basketball shorts and white t-shirts, except for Tucker, who was wearing a black t-shirt.

The sheriff's office said "within 15 minutes" of their escape, the inmates stole a dark gray 2009 Scion TC with a temporary Missouri tag on the back license plate from the parking lot of a nearby business, Centene Corporation.

The vehicle, which had no front license plate, was last seen headed south from the parking lot, according to the sheriff's office.

Warrants have been issued for the five inmates, who were being held on felony charges. Tucker, Sebastian and McSean were being housed at the county jail after allegedly committing offenses at the Sex Offender Rehabilitation & Treatment Services in Farmington, Missouri, according to the sheriff's office.

McSean is classified as a sexual predator, the sheriff's office said, citing jail records.

The U.S. Marshals Service is aiding the search for the men, and is offering rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to their arrest.

Authorities said the public should not approach the inmates if spotted, and should instead call 911 or local police.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com