Hoffman, N.C. — A citizen’s tip helped authorities find three inmates who escaped from a minimum-security unit at Morrison Correctional Institution on March 16.

Justin Shepard, Christopher Tadlock and Jeffrey Winstead scaled a fence and left the prison, officials said.

The three men were found within five miles of the prison, near a house on Millbrook Road where they had stopped to use the phone.  Residents of the home called police and they found the escapees outside the house around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The inmates, who were all serving sentences for non-violent property or drug crimes, were arrested without incident, authorities said.

Shepard, 21, was serving eight to 10 months for larceny and possession of stolen goods. Tadlock, 22, was serving approximately 2½ years for larceny and breaking and entering vehicles. Winstead, 21, was serving 13-16 months for attempted drug trafficking.