ROGERSVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- The party's over for four inmates accused of going on a beer run after the jail's doors were accidentally left unlocked.

The men were charged Monday with escape and bringing alcohol into a jail.

The breakout occurred Thursday night after cellblock doors at the Hawkins County Jail were left unlocked and a faulty control panel failed to alert jailers, Sheriff Warren Rimer said.

Two of the inmates walked out through a fire exit, leaving the door propped open with a Bible, and made a hole in the exercise yard fence. They walked to a market, bought some beer and returned to the jail to share it with other prisoners. When the booze ran out, the other two inmates made another beer run to a different store.

Authorities believe the inmates bought more than two cases of beer in all.

"I guess they thought if they came back they wouldn't be charged with escape," Rimer said, "but they were wrong."

The store visits did not raise alarm because the inmates were wearing street clothes borrowed from other prisoners. The crowded jail does not have enough orange jumpsuits to go around.

This sounds completely benign. I'd go to their rescue if I were a lawyer. Whatever happened to the right to beer?

I'm sorry but this really pisses me off.  Ok, what would happend if the guys didn't come back? I'll tell you: there would be people at the jail losing their jobs.  But these guys came back, and probably saved the jobs of the powers that be. And what's their thanks? they get charged for it. Bullshit.

You'd think someone would wise up and stop giving them bibles.

damn! i don't think they are at fault...i mean they came back! everyone is entitled to a beer! even when in jail! besides.....its not like they "broke out", some moron left the cell unlocked...they are lucky they came back.....