MERCED — Authorities in central California were searching Sunday for six inmates who used a “homemade rope” to escape from a county jail, sheriff’s officials said.

All six escapees should be considered armed and dangerous, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Staff at Merced County Downtown Jail noticed late Saturday that the six inmates were missing, the release said.

“A preliminary investigation has determined that the inmates were able to gain access to the roof of the facility and utilize a homemade rope to scale down the side of the jail,” the sheriff’s office said.

Story Date: January 14, 2021