A Slovakian who was on the lam from Italian law enforcement for 16 years was arrested after going to the Olympics to watch ice hockey.
On Wednesday, the 44-year-old man, as of yet unnamed publicly, went to Milan to watch the opening match of the Slovakian national men’s hockey team in the Olympics versus Finland.
Hotel staff alerted the Italian national police, who showed up and arrested him, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.
The man was wanted on a 2010 warrant in Bolzano, 125 miles northeast of Milan, on charges of commercial theft, according to the Corriere della Serra newspaper.
Italy’s national police said the man will have to serve 11 months in prison, plus a week for the shop thefts, according to Reuters.
On the ice, the Slovakians won Wednesday, upsetting Finland 4-1. They then defeated host country Italy 3-2 on Friday, but lost in their final preliminary game to Sweden 5-3 on Saturday.
The men’s hockey tournament is still in the group stage, and the remaining games to be played Saturday and Sunday will determine whether Slovakia advances or must face a play-in game.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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