A 30-year-old man from New York, Charles Dietrich, escaped from a detention center in South Carolina using a pencil. Dietrich was being held at the Chesterfield County Detention Center after being charged with offenses related to a stolen vehicle and drug possession. According to surveillance footage, on September 1 at 4:20 p.m., Dietrich was seen lifting the door of a cell in the older section of the facility. He inserted a pencil into the locking mechanism, which enabled him to slide the door open. After escaping his cell, Dietrich made his way to an unlocked door typically used by kitchen staff. He then climbed over a fence and barbed wire to leave the facility. His escape was short-lived, as he was quickly recaptured by law enforcement deputies who found him on a nearby road shortly after he fled. The incident highlights the vulnerabilities that can exist in older detention facilities, where outdated infrastructure may present security risks. Such escapes, while rare, often lead to increased scrutiny and potential upgrades to security measures. Dietrich was returned to custody following his recapture, and authorities are likely to review the incident to determine how such an escape was possible. The use of a simple object like a pencil to bypass a lock underscores the importance of regular maintenance and updates to detention center security systems.