Former Oshawa city councillor Robert Lutczyk is no stranger to making headlines for bizarre or controversial ideas. In fact, in 2009, he accepted the Toronto Star's label as the most controversial politician in Oshawa, and maybe even in the GTA.
"Without rabble-rousers things don't move forward," he once said.
Making headlines for criminal behaviour, however, is something new.
In 2008, the self-described "ideas man" claimed copyright to the phrase "University of Ontario Institute of Technology" and attempted to forbid Oshawa This Week from using the term.
In 2004, Lutczyk proposed that Oshawa absorb the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Among the "rabble-rousing" former city councillor's other controversial ideas were the suggestions of caning inmates and removing "creepy people" from Oshawa's downtown.
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Lutczyk made headlines yesterday for his strangest — and more menacing — move yet: the alleged abduction attempt of Oshawa city solicitor David Potts.
On Monday night, Potts went missing after a city council meeting. His car, still running, was found in his driveway.
"To have a staff member abducted, it just scares me. It makes me worry. Not just about what goes on here, but this could happen to anybody, anywhere, anytime," Oshawa mayor John Henry told CTV News.
Potts' wife saw her husband's empty car in the driveway and called the police. For the next three hours, the police worked with the mayor to help track down the missing solicitor.
An investigation led police to a Whitby auto repair shop in which an armed Lutczyk barricaded himself.
Police sources confirmed to the Toronto Star that Lutczyk was the subject of an armed standoff in Whitby early Tuesday morning — and the suspect in the kidnapping.
Tactical units evacuated the area. Police negotiators arrived on the scene.
By 2 a.m., Potts reported he had escaped unharmed shortly after the initial incident and was back at home with his family.
After a 28-hour standoff with police, Lutczyk peacefully surrendered to police and was taken into custody around 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Oshawa councillor Bruce Wood, a friend of Lutczyk's, called Lutczyk a "great guy," who has been operating a bed and breakfast since losing re-election to city council last year, the Toronto Sun reported.
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Former mayor John Gray speculated that Lutczyk's dispute with Potts was over "intellectual property."
Rich White, a friend of Lutczyk's, told the CBC that he's thankful the standoff ended without violence.
"I think he put himself into a corner where he just didn't know how to get out of it," White told CBC News. "I'm really glad that he's okay right now and I'll be there to support him. Now it's how to help him out and how to help the family out."
Police are expected to share more details about the case in today's press conference.