Italian authorities have apprehended a long-evading thief who resurfaced after 16 years to support his country at the Winter Olympics. The individual from Slovakia returned to back the ice hockey team despite being wanted since 2010.
The 44-year-old, unnamed in reports, was swiftly taken into custody by police even before reaching the arena. His arrest warrant dated back to 2010, related to a string of thefts he allegedly carried out. He now faces a sentence of 11 months and seven days, as confirmed by Carabinieri police.
Authorities located the fugitive after he checked into a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan, opting to return to Italy despite being a wanted criminal. His intention to attend the ice hockey event at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena was cut short by his arrest.
Following the arrest, he was escorted to the central San Vittore Prison, while Slovakia’s men’s team achieved a surprising victory over Finland, starting their Olympic campaign on a high note. Upcoming matches include ones against Italy and Sweden in the preliminary round.
In the 2026 Winter Games at Milano Cortina, the return of NHL players has brought back Slovakia, a bronze medalist from Beijing four years ago. Meanwhile, the competition has seen its share of drama, with Lindsey Vonn suffering a dramatic crash, and Jake Paul’s fiancée, Jutta Leerdam, securing gold in speed skating.
As the games progress, Team GB is still awaiting its first medal, with hopes pinned on skeleton world champion Matt Weston for a shot at gold. Fans can catch over 850 hours of live action on discovery+ via Prime Video, with a £3.99 entertainment subscription offering access to TNT Sports 2 for around-the-clock Olympic coverage.