VANCOUVER -- Police in B.C.'s capital region say a high-risk sex offender who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant has been caught.
The Victoria Police Department announced Sunday that West Shore RCMP had arrested Scott Jones, 56, who was wanted Canada-wide for being unlawfully at large.
In a news release, Mounties described a dramatic arrest of Jones in a parking lot in Langford.
West Shore RCMP said they received a call around 9:20 a.m. from a taxi driver named Mohammed Rashead, who said a man had given him money and asked him to purchase clothes from the Real Canadian Superstore on Langford Parkway in Langford.
Police said the man told Rashead he couldn't go inside himself because he was wanted by police.
Rashead took the money and went into the store, where he called police, according to West Shore RCMP.
Police said an officer responded to the scene and recognized Jones from the alert issued by Victoria police on Friday night.
"Upon approaching the cab, Jones noticed Const. Massey and barricaded himself inside the vehicle," said West Shore RCMP spokesperson Const. Nancy Saggar in the RCMP release. "Jones began trying to light the interior upholstery of the cab on fire. That’s when Const. Massey smashed the window of the cab and arrested Jones. Jones has since been transferred into Victoria Police custody."
West Shore RCMP thanked Rashead for his quick actions, and quoted him in their statement:
“I did my duty as a citizen and am happy I helped the RCMP catch such a dangerous man," he said, according to police.
VicPD also thanked members of the public who provided tips and information that helped assist officers in their investigation.
In announcing that Jones was missing Friday night, police said he had a history of violent sexual offences and was considered a high risk to reoffend.
No one was injured during his arrest, RCMP said.
