A Saanich police dog and a good witness are being credited for aiding in the arrest of a burglar early Monday morning.
At 3:30 a.m., police were called about a break-and-enter in progress at a bike shop in the 100-block of Burnside Rd. West. A witness reported seeing a man smash a glass door to gain entry, and provided police with a description of the suspect.
A canine officer was first on the scene, and the dog successfully located a scent, which led two blocks away, to the 3200-block of Wascana Ave., where the suspect was cornered under a camper van.
A 28-year-old man with no fixed address was arrested.
The canine officer searched the area and found a stolen $3,000 mountain bike.
“This investigation really was driven by the fact that someone was in a position to be a good witness, and did what was asked of them,” said Saanich police Sgt. Dean Jantzen.
“They contacted us immediately, and gave a good description of the suspect. Timing is everything in deploying the dog. … From the time we got the call to the time this guy was under arrest, it was eight minutes total.”
kslavin@saanichnews.com