On Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb.14, Trail RCMP officers responded to an unusual call about a 47-year-old Alberta man who turned a restaurant bathroom into his personal salon for a DIY haircut with scissors.
While the impromptu trim was unexpected, what truly raised eyebrows was his decision to skip out on the bill and flee from the downtown Trail establishment.
After enjoying a meal, according to a Tuesday police report, the man decided the restroom was the perfect spot for a spontaneous trim.
Staff, understandably unimpressed and out of consideration for the other diners, kindly asked him to stop cutting his hair in the public restroom.
The man allegedly waved the scissors in a threatening manner at staff before making a swift exit.
Police were called to help apprehend the freshly-coiffed man, described as wearing a black fedora, a brown trench coat, and carrying a sleeping bag and backpack.
Officers on patrol soon spotted a man matching the description walking in East Trail, along Third Avenue near McQuarrie Street.
Upon approach, police allege that the man initially refused to comply with officers’ verbal commands, prompting concerns that he might still be armed with the scissors.
Crediting an officer’s skilled verbal de-escalation, the RCMP report that the man eventually cooperated and was arrested after a brief struggle.
During a search following the arrest, officers allegedly found a knife on him.
A check through the police database revealed that the man is prohibited from possessing weapons and had outstanding warrants for his arrest in Alberta.
The man was taken into custody and held at the Trail detachment cell block.
He was later brought before a judge and remanded into custody until his transport back to Alberta to face his outstanding charges.
"Love definitely was not in the 'h-air' for this man during his Valentine’s dine-and-dash," said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.
"Police were easily able to identify him with his new haircut and attire reminiscent of Carmen Sandiego; however, unlike the elusive 1980s computer game thief, he wasn’t hard to find."
