1978 is known for two famous events: My birth and Oscar winning director Roman Polanski fleeing the United States after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13 year-old girl. Polanski was due to be sentenced when he went on the lamb back to his native France (who chose not to extradite the perv).

A warrant for Polanski’s arrest was issued over 30 years ago. However, the director has made no trips to the US since that time making it difficult for authorities to take care of business…until now.

While in Switzerland over the weekend to receive a lifetime achievement award (yes, an admitted child molester was receiving an award for lifetime achievement) the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police arrested the creeper.

Polanski’s friends, however, are miffed.

Via People:

“Why now?,” a friend of Polanski told PEOPLE on Sunday. “We don’t understand. Roman has been to Switzerland before so we don’t understand why he’s been arrested this time.”

Since fleeing the country, Polanski and his people have sought, without success obviously, to have the charges against him dropped.

Image Via: IMDB