After being on the run from Italian authorities for 16 years, a thief was apprehended upon his return to Italy to support his country at the Winter Olympics. The 44-year-old Slovakian man came back to the location where he allegedly committed crimes to cheer for the national ice hockey team.
Despite his intentions, the man, whose identity remains undisclosed, was intercepted by the police before reaching the arena, as there had been an arrest warrant issued against him in 2010 for a series of thefts. The Carabinieri police confirmed that he now faces a sentence of 11 months and seven days.
Authorities located the fugitive after he checked into a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan, opting to return to Italy despite being a wanted individual. His plan to attend the ice hockey event at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Wednesday evening was abruptly halted by his arrest.
The Winter Games’ ice hockey competitions are taking place at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and the Rho Ice Hockey Arena in different parts of the city. While the man aimed to be present at the former, he was instead taken into custody before the match. Consequently, he was escorted to the central San Vittore Prison, coinciding with Slovakia’s victorious start in their Olympic debut by defeating Finland 4-1.
Slovakia, who secured a bronze medal in Beijing four years ago, marked their return to the Winter Olympics after their last appearance in Sochi 2014. Meanwhile, the Milano Cortina 2026 Games have already witnessed notable events, such as Lindsey Vonn’s unfortunate crash resulting in a leg injury and Jutta Leerdam’s thrilling gold medal win in speed skating.
As the competition progresses, Team GB anticipates securing their first medal with promising contenders like skeleton world champion Matt Weston vying for gold in the upcoming final on Friday evening.
To catch all the action of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, fans can access over 850 hours of live coverage on discovery+ via Prime Video. Subscribing to the £3.99 discovery+ Entertainment plan grants viewers access to TNT Sports 2, offering continuous Olympic content throughout the games.
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