Reply #11: They got him when he got off the plane.

[WriteDown]

Here's the LONG timeline:

Feb 1978: The US Extradition Services Section opened a file after confirming that Polanski was living in France.

Dec 1986: Royal Canadian Mounted Police were consulted after information that Polanski may be visiting Canada.

May 1998: The arrest warrant was verified as still active after information was received that Polanski may travel to Germany, Denmark, Sweden or Brazil.

June 1994: A provisional arrest warrant request was made to France.

Oct 2005: An Interpol Red Notice was submitted to Thailand because Polanski was supposed to be visiting.

July 2007: Israeli authorities requested extra details when Polanski visited but by the time the information arrived he had left.

Sept 2009: Information received that Polanski was scheduled to appear at a film festival in Zurich, Switzerland. An application for a provisional arrest warrant was prepared and then executed by Swiss authorities


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/roman-polanski/6245119/Roman-Polanski-timeline-of-US-attempts-to-capture-director.html