Polanski's posh Swiss chalet being prepped for director's release from prison

It appears officials are preparing Roman Polanski's Swiss chalet for the director's release from prison under electronic monitoring.

Polanski is expected to be freed by Monday after a Swiss court agreed to $4.5-million bail. A court will eventually rule whether Polanski should be extradited to Los Angeles to face sentencing for having illegal sex with a 13-year-old more than three decades ago. Swiss justice officials repeatedly had denied his bail requests, saying he is a flight risk.

Under the terms of the bail, Polanski, 76, would be restricted to his chalet in Gstaad, a ski resort with mountain views. The village of 2,500 has long been known as a celebrity hangout, having been home to Elizabeth Taylor, Roger Moore and David Niven, among others. 

An Associated Press reporter went to the chalet, which appeared to be filled with activity:

Security experts on Saturday started preparing Roman Polanski's Alpine chalet for the movie director's house arrest while Swiss authorities consider whether to extradite him to the United States.

A Hummer bearing the sign in French "DR Securite Services" was parked outside the empty three-story building Saturday morning, while three men and a woman took photographs of the property and spent about an hour inside.

They declined to say what they were doing, but the company handles a range of services from video surveillance to alarm installations and armored doors.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: Roman Polanski's chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland, where the 76-year-old director would be restricted. Credit: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images