A POLICE dog delivered woof justice as it played a big part in arresting a man alleged to have been in a stolen car.
Specialist officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU) were on patrol in Tameside when they spotted the vehicle on Sunday, April 27.
After noticing the police behind, it made off and after a short pursuit, two men abandoned the vehicle in a car park in Bredbury and made off on foot.
One, aged 41, was swiftly detained by TVIU on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle and driving whilst disqualified.
But Police Dog Harley helped locate and arrest the other on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle after he was found hiding in a bush.
Both remain in police custody for questioning.
While waiting at the scene, the rightful owner of the stolen vehicle showed up and was reunited with it.
Inspector Craig Birkhead from Greater Manchester Police’s Specialist Operations Branch said: “Once officers had sighted the suspected stolen car, the driver decided to make off at high speeds in an attempt to evade capture.
“Fortunately, no members of the public were injured and thanks to the quick-thinking actions of the officers, we were able to mitigate any potential risks they posed to residents.
“It showed a dedicated response by officers to apprehend the suspects and I hope this proves that we are successfully able to track, trace and detain those who are causing harm to our local communities.
“Thanks to our canine capabilities and specially trained drivers in the force, we were able to immediately locate the suspects and arrest them and return the stolen car to its rightful owner.”