Anything to declare? Prisoner tries to escape in a suitcase

(AP)

Some famous jailbreaks have seen prisoners use spoons to tunnel out of their cells, fashion weapons out of wood to intimidate guards and even dress up as sheep to avoid capture.

But one less ingenious inmate at a Mexican prison attempted a novel way to escape his sentence this week – by hiding in his partner's suitcase.

Maria del Mar Arjona was caught trying to sneak her boyfriend, Juan Ramirez Tijerina, out of a jail in Chetumal when she was spotted struggling to drag a bulky, wheeled suitcase out of the prison after a conjugal visit.

Prison staff soon became suspicious when they noticed that the 19-year-old seemed nervous as she attempted to leave the prison pulling the large black bag behind her.

When the guards unzipped her suitcase, they found Mr Ramirez – who began serving a 20-year sentence for illegal weapons possession in 2007 – curled up inside wearing only his socks and underwear.