Staffordshire Police dog helps in search for and arrest of suspected car thieves

Police Dog Vixen was brought into help with finding the three men following reports of the group attempting to get inside a white Ford Focus on Poplar Way in the early hours of August 31.

Officers from Staffordshire Police were then called to Sidney Avenue at around 1.45am after further reports of three men attempting to get into different cars on Poplar Way, then leaving the scene in a vehicle officers tracked to near Sidney Avenue.

After Vixen was brought in, she was able to locate the three men, with one attempting to run away while being searched, but being caught, while another tried to hide in a bush.

Officers arrested a 40-year-old man, a 28-year-old man and an 18-year-old man on suspicion of vehicle interference, with the 40-year-old and 28-year-old also charged with drug driving, and all three men remain in custody for questioning.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "Three men have been arrested after being tracked down by police dog Vixen following reports of attempted car theft in Stafford.

"In the early hours of Saturday, August 31, a group of three men were seen trying to get inside a white Ford Focus on Poplar Way.

"Residents in the area shouted at the group, who were spooked and ended up leaving empty-handed.

"Then, at about 1.45am this morning (Tuesday 10 September), we received a similar report that three men were trying to get in different cars on the same street.

"They left the scene in a vehicle that was later tracked to near Sidney Avenue.

"PD Vixen was brought in the sniff out the suspects, locating three men in the area. One of them tried to run away when being searched but was quickly caught, along with another that tried to hide in a bush.

"Three people were arrested; a 40-year-old man, of no fixed address, on suspicion of vehicle interference and drink driving, a 28-year-old man, from Stafford, on suspicion of attempted vehicle theft and drug driving and an 18-year-old man, from Stafford, on suspicion of vehicle interference.

"All three remain in custody and will be questioned.

"If you’ve got any information that can help with our investigation, call 101, quoting incident 47 of 10 September, or use Live Chat on our website."