The man who was the subject of a police manhunt after a smash and grab at Jay's Lace It Up in Port Alberni has been caught.
Pierre Gino Guidotti, 39, appeared before Judge T. Dohm in Port Alberni Provincial Court on Thursday, charged with one count each of break and enter, theft over $5,000, flight from an officer and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
Guidotti was apprehended in Victoria on May 28 after police stopped a car in which he was a passenger, provincial prosecutor Christina Proteau said. He remains in custody and the matter was put over for two weeks.
Guidotti was one of two people thought to be involved in the smash and grab. On May 4, Judge D. Cowling sentenced Robin Schultz, 29, to 535 days in jail and 18 months probation for motor vehicle theft, break and enter and failing to stop.
On April 22, the windows at Jay’s Lace It Up were smashed and someone stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise before fleeing.
Schultz and Guidotti were in a vehicle that police chased along Hwy. 4 after they failed to pull over. The truck drove over an RCMP spike belt placed across the highway at Hilliers Road by Oceanside RCMP. The vehicle, which was later determined to be stolen from Nanaimo, continued on but drove into a ditch at Qualicum Beach.
Schultz was apprehended after a foot chase. Guidotti fled and was at large.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com
Edited to reflect details of capture.