The man accused of scamming a 90-year-old Victoria man out of more than $200,000 has been arrested after being on the run for almost a month.
Richard William Patterson appeared in provincial court in Victoria Law Courts on Jan. 31 to face new charges in connection with leaving the Island ahead of his trial.
Victoria police realized he was gone at the end of December, said Victoria police Const. Mike Russell.
Patterson, then 47 years old and of no fixed address, was first arrested in August 2011 by VicPD officers after attentive RBC bank tellers realized that a customer was paying out large cheques for renovations on his Oaklands home.
When the tellers went to the senior’s home they didn’t see any work being done, and contacted police. The senior lived alone at the time.
After Patterson left the Island, VicPD notified Manitoba police that he may be in their jurisdiction. He was spotted five days later on Jan. 23 by police officers in Norway House, Man., almost 950 kilometers north of Winnipeg.
“For them to find him in five days in a little town that has a population of about 6,000 — we’re certainly appreciative of their efforts,” Russell said.
The accused was brought back to Victoria by the B.C. Sheriffs Fugitive Escort Team.
Patterson faces one charge each of fraud over $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and false pretence.