Man¡¯s best friend, a trusty dog owner and some speedy Police work potentially prevented car thefts in an East Auckland suburb early this morning.
A Greenlane resident who was woken by his dog barking around 3.45am investigated immediately.
¡°His trusty pooch had alerted him to two people outside his home apparently scoping out parked cars with a torch,¡± Inspector Jim Wilson, Auckland City East Area Commander, says.
But by the time Police arrived the pair were on the move and fled despite being signalled to stop.
¡°Police monitored the vehicle from a distance until The Police Helicopter arrived overhead to monitor the situation.¡±
The car was successfully spiked but kept going onto nearby Great South Road, and Police observed it driving on the wrong side of the road.
Inspector Wilson says a dog unit was deployed when the driver finally abandoned the vehicle at Garland Road and took off on foot.?
¡°He was apprehended nearby and received minor police dog bites and was given medical treatment,¡± Inspector Wilson says.
¡°A passenger remained in the vehicle and was arrested without incident.¡±
The 38-year-old driver is appearing in the Auckland District Court, charged with failing to stop, driving in a dangerous manner, possessing cannabis and possessing an offensive weapon.
¡°Fortunately, it appears no vehicles in the street were successfully broken into and it goes to show the importance of vigilance,¡± Inspector Wilson says.
¡°After a busy night it¡¯s left two smart dogs catching up on some much-needed sleep.¡±
Police remind the public to report suspicious activity as soon as possible by calling 111.
ENDS
Nicole Bremner/51½ÖÉä?