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| Dog Section Success Stories | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 The following stories are just a sample of what our dogs have achieved recently. Many of these crimes may not have been detected without the skill of the handlers and the instincts and training of the dogs themselves. A call was received at Police Control regarding a group of youths attempting to steal a motorcycle from the driveway of a house. A number of Police units attended in the area however there was no trace of anyone in the street. A search of the surrounding area was carried out and a motorcycle was recovered in a driveway of a house nearby. Attempts had been made to start the motorcycle and by the way it had been abandoned it was clear that the persons responsible had been disturbed and were likely to be nearby. A Police patrol disturbed a group of youths minutes later and the youths all made off. The area was contained and a search was commenced PC Ryan Galloway using Police dog Lance. Lance negotiated a wall and began to search the area of a nearby car park. One officer confirmed he had been in the same position since the beginning of the call. At that point Lance indicated the presence of one suspect beneath a vehicle around 15ft from the Officer. The male was removed from underneath the vehicle and detained. The search was recommenced for the second male and Lance quickly returned to the other side of the same vehicle again indicating the presence of the second suspect. The male was removed and detained. As only two males had been seen by Police all units were stood down. Lance walked off westwards in the car park and it quickly became apparent that he had picked up something else on the wind. Lance went on to 'home in' on a van parked at the west end of the car park and to everyone's surprise he indicated the presence of a third male who had secreted himself beneath the van. All three suspects traced by Lance were subsequently arrested and charged with theft of the motorcycle. Tayside Police received a call from a male stating he had been robbed. The victim named the person responsible however his version of events were uncorroborated at that time. Further enquiry was made by officers and a witness was traced who stated she saw the suspect discarding a 'shiny item', possible a knife, into an area of bushes nearby. PC Galloway was requested to attend in the area and carryout a property search with Police dog Lance, for what was thought to be a knife. A systematic property search of the bushes and undergrowth was carried out by Police dog Lance, and after a short time he indicated a Credit Card in the victim's name. As a result of the witness who spoke to seeing the suspect discarding an item into the bushes, and the subsequent recovery of the credit card, sufficient circumstantial evidence was gained to arrest, caution and charge the suspect with the robbery. PC Hunter was on mobile patrol in the Dundee area when he received a radio message regarding an attempted robbery. He was informed that a man had attempted to rob a taxi driver of his takings. The suspect had since run off into the nearby communal close of a block of flats. PC Hunter placed Police Dog Otis in his tracking harness and cast him inside the front door of the close. At this time Otis picked up a scent trail and tracked through the ground floor of the close and back out the other side and into the rear garden. Otis continued tracking through the back garden to the rear door of another block of flats. He then entered the block of flats and continued tracking up one flight of stairs where he stopped outside a flat door. Otis aired up, passively indicating that someone was behind the door and at this time PC Hunter heard someone from inside the flat bolt the door. PC Hunter informed the beat officers and entry was later gained to the flat and a man matching the description was found within. He was arrested and later charged with the crime. Whilst on mobile patrol in Dundee, PC Hunter overheard a radio message from the Force Communications Centre in relation to an ongoing housebreaking. On arrival PC Hunter spoke with a beat officer who stated that he thought he had heard persons moving within the undergrowth nearby. PC Hunter attended the undergrowth area along with Police dog Otis and gave a standard challenge for them to make themselves known or the dog would be released to search for them. At this time a youth came out of the undergrowth area. He admitted being involved in the incident and was arrested. A further two youngsters also made themselves known having been hiding nearby and were also arrested. It was confirmed that 2 laptops, a satellite navigation system and an ornament containing loose change had been stolen from the house. None of the three arrested were found to have the stolen property, so PC Hunter caused Otis to carry out a property search in the immediate area where the three youths had been traced. Otis passively indicated a satellite navigation system and a pile of loose change which were lying hidden behind a stone wall. He further continued searching the back pathway where he showed particular attention to some overgrown shrubbery and on checking this area two laptops were found. The recovered property was subsequently identified as belonging to the occupant of the house where the housebreaking had occurred. |
