Expert pursuit drivers teamed up with a police dog handler to stop a stolen caravan and detain three suspects.
Roads policing officers were on routine patrol in Newark and Sherwood when they noticed a caravan being towed without lights along Southwell Road West at 12:30am on Tuesday.
The vehicle was then driven at speed along the A617 Rainworth bypass before eventually coming to a stop in a layby on the A57.
Two people — a 35-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman — were arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft and driving offences.
PD Seth was then deployed to hunt for a third person suspected of fleeing the scene.
The determined Belgian Malinois, known for his excellent tracking abilities, quickly picked up a scent in the darkness and led his handler to the garden of a house.
He then guided him to an outbuilding and began barking at a suspect inside, who then came out.
The 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft.
The caravan, which had been taken earlier in the evening from an address in Mansfield, has been recovered.
Sergeant Steve Waft, of the roads policing team, said:
“This was a great bit of teamwork by experienced police drivers, an exceptional dog unit, and control room staff.
“When out and about on patrol, some things just stand out as not being right — such as a caravan being towed without any lights.
“Officers’ suspicions were soon confirmed and three suspects were brought into custody — one as a result of some exceptional work by PD Seth and his handler.”
More about PD Seth
PD Seth, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, has been enjoying a new lease of life after being donated by a member of the public from the West Midlands
After his rescue by a local charity, he was recruited and trained by expert dog handlers at Nottinghamshire Police. Since his licensing in December 2023, he’s chalked up an impressive list of collars, including:
- Chasing down and detaining a suspected motorcycle thief in September this year
- Tracking and detaining two suspects hiding in undergrowth after a car failed to stop in June
- Detaining a suspected motorbike thief hiding in a garden in May
- Tracking for more than 20 minutes and sniffing out three suspected burglars in February
- Chasing down and detaining a suspect after a high-speed pursuit in October 2024
- Detaining two suspects hiding in a tunnel after another high-speed pursuit in March 2024
Sergeant Nicholas Dachtler, of Nottinghamshire Police’s dog section, said:
“Seth is truly an exceptional dog who has more than matched our expectations since joining us.
“He is a great all-rounder who truly excels in tracking suspects.”