Thanks Inky

1. Max & the wheelbarrow

Stand still, I shouted at the top of my voice.  Stand still or I will release the dog.  Police Dog Max, A big woolly grey haired German shepherd came flying from the quick release hatch in the dog cage in the Astramax Van.  Off he went in hot pursuit of a tall lanky youth in his early twenties who was running as fast as his long legs would carry him.

I had responded to a call on the police radio to a theft from an elderly gentleman’s garden shed.  A tall lanky man had been seen by the gentleman to break into his garden shed and steal his lawn mower.  The thief had also stolen his wheelbarrow, loaded the lawnmower into it and pushed it off down the street.

I tried to think the most likely area the thief would head for, and how far he could have travelled on foot pushing a wheelbarrow.  In this case I had been right. There he was. It was about 4am. No one else around, it had to be him.  I pulled up in my police dog van expecting him to run away.  He didn’t. Infact he put the wheelbarrow down and walked up to me.  I alighted from the van and spoke to the lad, introducing myself.  Without warning (although a cop should always be on his guard), the lad threw a handful of coins into my face.  I managed to shield my eyes, but it caused a couple of seconds delay.  Enough for him to turn and run.  He was very tall. I am 5’11” he towered above me.  His great legs covering huge amounts of ground as he ran.  I was never going to get near him.  I didn’t need to.  I had 80LBS of German shepherd dog in the form of Max in the van.  I quickly opened the drivers’ door on the van.  The quick exit hatch on the dog cage was already open.  I didn’t need to tell Max, he had heard everything.  He was whining and scratching at the mesh on the cage wanting to do his bit.  Out he came, wisps of fine soft hair blowing in the air as he went.  He had lovely soft hair; I have never known a GSD with such a soft coat.  It did use to get up ones nose and irritate it though.

I called out the challenge into the night air.  I am sure Max though it most unsporting of me, but one has to give running criminals a chance to avoid the 42 teeth of a police dog, and if they comply it makes a lot less paperwork for me!