WHITBY, Ont. – A 27-hour standoff at an auto repair shop in the town of Whitby involving a former Oshawa city councillor ended peacefully early Wednesday.

Durham Region police said a man surrendered and was taken into custody at about 5 a.m.

“He came out on his own accord, walked out of the unit,” Supt. Brian Osborne said.

Former Oshawa city councillor Robert Lutczyk, 45, has been identified and charged after a kidnapping and lengthy standoff with police.

He faces seven charges, including kidnapping using a restricted firearm, uttering threats to cause bodily harm and forcible confinement.

On Monday, a man allegedly attempted to abduct Oshawa city solicitor David Potts.

Oshawa Mayor John Henry said Potts was abducted from his home following a council meeting on Monday and managed to escape and return home safe.

“There was an issue,” he said. “(Potts’) wife was worried enough to call the police and the police called me,” he said. “We’d found that Mr. Potts had been taken against his will.”

Supt. Osborne said the hostage escaped the suspect after an armed confrontation with police.

The suspect then fled into the auto repair shop, where he stayed until he surrendered.

Lutczyk rented a unit in the auto repair shop, the building owner told 680News.

Police had shut down Hopkins Street between Highway 2 and Consumers Drive for the investigation, but it was reopened to traffic Wednesday morning.

Police said “business matters” may have motivated the bizarre saga.

“There were business matters that he had with the City of Oshawa and he was upset about the way they resulted,” Supt. Osborne said.