Eight of the 22 escaped detainees were seized by Shanghai police till 10 AM Saturday, and other 14 are still at large, said Shanghai police Saturday.

The breakout happened at around 9:10 PM on Thursday in a detention house under the Minhang Public Security Bureau when some detainees staged a fake brawl to attract the guards. The detainees subsequently injured and snatched the cell keys from the two policemen coming to settle the dispute.

Most of the detainees were young men who stole bicycles.

Shanghai Public Security Bureau sent out an urgent circular to all passes as expressways, ferries, railway stations, and airports to prevent the escaped to places outside Shanghai. Local police also strengthened check-up of the vehicles and passengers.

Just one hour after the accident happened, all cab drivers received a notice from the police asking them to report when discovering the escaped detainees. The notice asked drivers to dial the "110," an emergency number for police report, once they find any suspectable shoeless person or person wearing yellow slippers.

According to China's Criminal Law, detainees who escaped from lockups, will be given five-year-below imprisonment or taken into custody.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2005)