Man running through yards, knocking on doors was high inmate who took off from halfway house: Vancouver police

Vancouver police officers are seen in the Downtown Eastside after responding to an incident, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Police say a man seen running through yards in a Vancouver neighbourhood had recently fled his halfway house.

Officers said the man failed to return to his halfway house Saturday night. The 59-year-old had been staying there as part of a sentence following a robbery conviction, police told CTV News.

When asked for more information, a spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department said he would not be publicly identified as no public notification was issued when he left the halfway house.

No further information was provided on his criminal history.

The man was away from the house for about 12 hours before police were called in.

According to the VPD, he was arrested Sunday morning in the area of Strathcona Park.

Police were called by a resident of the area who reported a man running in and out of yards and knocking on doors.

"This is a great example of people taking an active role in neighbourhood safety and crime prevention," VPD Sgt. Steve Addison said in an email.

"A resident saw something that didn't look right and he called police for assistance. That allowed VPD to make a quick arrest and return this inmate to custody."

According to police, the man admitted after his arrest that he'd relapsed and was high on methamphetamine.