'Big bitcoin heist' suspect escapes prison and flees Iceland 'on PM's plane'

Sindri Thor Stefansson escaped through window before reportedly boarding same flight to Sweden as prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir

The suspected mastermind behind the theft of 600 computers used to mine bitcoin in Iceland has escaped from prison and fled to Sweden on an aeroplane reportedly carrying the Icelandic prime minister.

Sindri Thor Stefansson escaped through a window of the low-security Sogn prison in rural southern Iceland before boarding a flight to Sweden at the international airport in Keflavik located 59 miles from the prison on Tuesday. Police said he travelled under a passport in someone else's name, but was identified via surveillance video.