Close X
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
ADVT 
National

Wanted sex offender Randall Hopley arrested in Vancouver, police say

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Nov, 2023 10:44 AM
  • Wanted sex offender Randall Hopley arrested in Vancouver, police say

Vancouver police say the 10-day manhunt for high-risk sex offender Randall Hopley ended outside a police station when he was recognized and arrested by an off-duty officer.

Sgt. Steve Addison says the "intense focus" on Hopley's whereabouts led to his arrest this morning and police will make recommendations through Crown counsel that he be denied bail and remain in custody.

Addison says Hopley was captured outside the police station in the Downtown Eastside, not far from where he went missing.

Hopley walked away from his Vancouver halfway house on Nov. 4., and cut off his electronic monitoring device a short time later.

At the time, police said they believed the 58-year-old was worried about an upcoming court appearance and feared he would be returned to custody.

Hopley had completed a six-year prison term for the 2011 abduction of a three-year-old boy in southeastern B.C.

He was released in 2018 and was living at the halfway house under a 10-year long-term supervision order but was arrested in January for allegedly violating conditions of the order.

Addison told a news conference that there was "very real fear" in the community while Hopley was at large, and concern about the case had the potential to change the way such offenders are monitored.

He couldn't say whether Hopley was intending to turn himself in at the time of his arrest by the officer, who was in plain clothes.

"I'm not gonna speculate on what Randall Hopley's intentions were," Addison said, adding that "he likely ran out of options."

Addison said up to 25 full-time investigators worked the case while Hopley was at large, supported by dozens of other officers.

He said there were more than 80 tips from the public, involving a time-consuming checking process.

It was believed that Hopley had been travelling alone, Addison said, and may have been trying to change his appearance with "COVID-style masks" that he had on him when he was arrested.

Addison said police did not believe Hopley committed any new offences while at large.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

New Westminster's Balvir Singh charged with stabbing

New Westminster's Balvir Singh charged with stabbing
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 57-year-old Balvir Singh of New Westminster was charged Saturday with second-degree murder. I-H-I-T is identifying the victim as 46-year old Kulwant Kaur of New Westminster.

New Westminster's Balvir Singh charged with stabbing

Surrey to ask court to review provincial order to stay with municipal police

Surrey to ask court to review provincial order to stay with municipal police
The city issued a statement on Friday saying it was asking for a judicial review by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, challenging the province's "lawful authority" to impose its choice of police force without providing the funding to support such a move.

Surrey to ask court to review provincial order to stay with municipal police

No charges for Prince George cop

No charges for Prince George cop
Prosecutors in British Columbia say they won't be charging an RCMP officer in connection with the death of an Indigenous man in Prince George in 2020. A statement from the prosecution service says that although the province's independent watchdog said there were reasonable grounds to believe the officer may have committed an offence, the evidence available isn't enough for charges.

No charges for Prince George cop

Influx of Avian Flu in BC

Influx of Avian Flu in BC
Farmers in B-C are preparing for an influx of avian flu cases as wild birds begin migrating south. But a spokesperson for the B-C Poultry Association Emergency Operations Centre says he doesn't expect as much devastation as last year.   

Influx of Avian Flu in BC

Road closures due to Whalley collision

Road closures due to Whalley collision
On Thursday at after 1:30pm Surrey RCMP responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a semi-truck in the southbound lanes of King George boulevard just north of 104 Avenue. The pedestrian has been transported to hospital with serious injuries. There are single lane closures on both on the northbound and southbound side of King George boulevard between 104 Avenue and 105 Avenue. 

Road closures due to Whalley collision

Federal effort to boost child care in three provinces off to 'slow start': report

Federal effort to boost child care in three provinces off to 'slow start': report
The report by Cardus looking at the roll out of the programs in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick found that issues ranging from unspent funding to skilled labour shortages led to missed child care targets. The federal government signed separate, five-year funding agreements with provinces and territories in 2021, committing up to $30 billion in five years toward the establishment of $10-a-day child care.  

Federal effort to boost child care in three provinces off to 'slow start': report