Gastonia K9’s Track a Mile Through Thick Woods After Multijurisdictional Police Pursuit Through Gaston County
July 29, 2024
Gastonia, NC. - Gastonia Police Department K9 Officers were requested this morning to help track and locate two break-in suspects who jumped from a vehicle and ran on foot. (Break-ins occurred in Dallas and County jurisdiction).
Gaston County Police and Dallas Police were called out to the new housing development off of Old Dallas Highway (Bright Hope Ln). Reporting persons told Police that people in ski masks were breaking into vehicles and left in a black vehicle. The suspects ran from the vehicle and into woods at the dead end of Auten Rd in Ranlo.
Gastonia Police K9 Officer Willis with K9 “Taco” tracked one mile into the wooded area, and found both suspects hiding. One juvenile suspect was taken into custody and the other continued to run deeper into the woods.
Gastonia Police Sgt. David Rowland with K9 bloodhound “Bo” responded to the scene and picked up the new track. K9 “Bo” tracked up to the suspect who concealed himself in the thick brush. The suspect then jumped up and ran again from the officers. Anticipating the suspect would run, a perimeter was set up on the other side of the wooded area and the suspect ran into that officer and was taken into custody.
Thank you to the Ranlo Police, Dallas Police, and Gaston County Police for providing excellent perimeter coverage that led to these suspects being found with the K9s.
Training video of each dog working a track is attached in this WeTransfer link: https://we.tl/t-IcDejRrkDR
Contact:
Bill McGinty
Public Information/Media Relations
Gastonia Police Department
Cell: 704-419-0266
