The man who robbed an elderly Port Alberni woman and then was captured by police after a foot chase has been sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Judge J. Joe rendered the sentence to Channon Paul Coulter, 41, in Port Alberni Provincial Court on Thursday, provincial prosecutor Gordon Baines said.
Coulter pleaded guilty to one count of break and enter and theft, as well as to three counts of possessing stolen property.
Charges of resisting arrest and possessing break and enter tools were stayed, Baines said.
Joe sentenced Coulter to 30 months for the break and enter and theft, and to a further nine months for possession of stolen property, which Coulter will serve concurrently, Baines said.
On April 11, a 73-year old woman was working in the front yard of her house on Leslie Avenue. She discovered that some of her belongings had been stolen when she went back inside and called police.
RCMP officers spotted Coulter, who matched the description, at Leslie Avenue and Johnston Road an hour later and arrested him in Roger Creek Park after a foot chase.
The property Coulter was found with was connected to recent thefts, including that of a purse from Walmart.
But the nature of the April 11 incident, age of the victim, and that the crime was committed during the daytime was similar to home invasion incidents involving other Alberni seniors, one of which resulted in the death of Mervin Hankins, 75.
Coulter remains a person of interest in those matters, RCMP Cpl. Jen Allan said.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com