Vancouver police announced that high-risk sex offender Randall Hopley (58), who had been on the run, was arrested in the early hours of November 14th in Vancouver’s Downtown East side.
According to previous statements from the Vancouver Police Department, Hopley, who was on a long-term probation order, went shopping on November 4th at the Halfway House in Vancouver, which supports the rehabilitation of inmates who have completed their sentences. However, he immediately took off his surveillance ankle rings and fled.
The accused spent 6 years in prison for the kidnapping of a three-year-old boy in BC in 2011. After he completed his sentence in October 2018, he was placed on long-term probation and moved to a halfway house in Vancouver.
However, in January this year, he was arrested and detained for two violations of a long-term probation order. He was granted bail in February and returned to Halfway House but fled two days before his trial.
Prosecutors reportedly opposed Hopley’s release on bail.
British Columbia is asking the federal government to tighten bail conditions for repeat offenders, a bill currently under review in the Senate.
Hopley was wanted across Canada after his escape. Vancouver police released a photo of the man, who is 175 centimetres tall, has dark brown hair and brown eyes, and has a bruise on the left side of his bangs, asking for information from the public.
From the time his escape was announced, it was pointed out that he was likely to be in Vancouver, as he appeared to be traveling on foot and using cash to pay his bills.