A man who spent 16 years evading Italian police was arrested in Milan on Wednesday evening after attending the Winter Olympics.
The 44-year-old Slovak fugitive had travelled to Italy specifically to support his country’s national ice hockey squad at the Milano Cortina Games, according to a statement released by the Carabinieri police force.
Despite being on Italy’s wanted list for over a decade and a half, the man’s passion for hockey proved his undoing during one of the country’s most heavily policed international sporting events.
Italian prosecutors had issued an arrest warrant against him 16 years ago.
A man who spent 16 years evading Italian police was arrested in Milan on Wednesday evening after attending the Winter Olympics
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Authorities located the unnamed individual after he registered at an accommodation on the outskirts of the city, the Carabinieri confirmed.
Officers acted swiftly on the long-standing warrant, detaining him before he could attend the sporting event he had crossed borders to witness.
Following his arrest on Wednesday night, police transported the man to San Vittore, Milan’s central prison facility.
The charges against him stem from a series of shop thefts in Italy in 2010, according to police.
The 44-year-old Slovak fugitive had travelled to Italy specifically to support his country’s national ice hockey squad at the Milano Cortina Games
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He now faces a prison sentence of 11 months and seven days for these offences.
The Carabinieri said that the thefts involved multiple incidents, though specific details of the crimes were not disclosed.
Slovakia’s men’s team went on to triumph 4-1 against Finland in their Group B preliminary round opener at Milan’s Santagiulia Arena on Wednesday night.
The Slovak side, who claimed bronze medals at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, now face Italy on Friday before taking on Sweden on Saturday.
The man’s passion for hockey proved his undoing during one of the country’s most heavily policed international sporting events
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Sweden currently leads the group following their 5-2 victory over Italy on Wednesday, with Slovakia sitting in second place.
Team GB is still searching for its first medal after a series of agonising near-misses.
Stars like Kirsty Muir, Mia Brookes, and the mixed doubles curling pair of Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds all finished in fourth place.
The games are scheduled to conclude on February 22.