MAN ARRESTED AFTER BEING TRAILED BY POLICE DOG

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28938, 4 July 1959, Page 15

MAN ARRESTED AFTER BEING TRAILED BY POLICE DOG

The Christchurch police dog, Buck, made one of his best "arrests” early yesterday morning when, after following the trail of a man alleged to have broken into the Midway Service Station on the Main North road, he ran the man to earth hiding in long grass and scrub in a paddock about a mile from the service station. The dog’s work led to the appearance of two men in the Magistrate’s Court later in the morning on charges of breaking and entering the premises. After a call received by the police about 3 a.m., Buck and his handler, Constable L. J. Petersen, went to the scene, and the dog picked up a trail which he followed for about a quarter of a mile along the bitumen of the Main North road, down, a side street, and across several paddocks. The man was discovered iri a corner, of a paddock _ *n Meadow street concealed behind long grass and scrub. He was arrested by Constable Petersen. The other man, who had gone down Cranford street towards the city, was located after inquiries had been made by the police. Buck has had a distinguished career in the year in which he has worked in the city,, having helped in tracing lost persons and escapers. The manager of the Midway Service Station, Mr C. Mclver, said the dog was a great credit to the police and his handler in the way he had tracked the suspect, who might otherwise have escaped. Mr Mclver said that about 2 a.m. he and his son found a

parked car at the rear of the premises, and he had removed the distributor cap to prevent the intruders from escaping. Just then two men ran out of the building, and set off in different directions. Mr Mclver was armed with a shotgun, but was prevented from getting in a shot because his son was “hard on the trail” of one of the men. The police were called, and shortly after uniformed men and detectives in three patrol cars made a thorough search of the area. But the praise was all due w Buck, said Mr Mclver. “That dog was marvellous.” It was the third time in the last three years that Mr Mclver has found intruders in the service station, and on both previous occasions the culprits were later apprehended. He achieved some fame on one occasion by chasing an intruder from the premises for some distance and “winging him” finally with the shotgun. The two men who were charged yesterday were remanded to appear next week. A police spokesman said later that further charges would be preferred against the men.