PC Steve Hutton convinced the suspected car thief to stop in his tracks after pretending he had a trained dog with him
A police officer caught a suspected car thief by barking like a dog .
PC Steve Hutton convinced the suspect to stop in his tracks after pretending he had a trained canine with him.
The Wiltshire Police officer, 44, was among a team pursuing a dark blue MG on the M4 near Swindon.
Colleagues used stinger devices to bring the MG to a stop and the four young people in the car got out and fled.
PC Hutton said: "I ran after the rear side passenger and managed to keep up for 20 seconds, but then couldn’t see him.
"So I shouted out I was a police dog handler and to stay still - and I then let out a couple of barks.
"I must have had a convincing bark because he stopped. He turned around and looked confused.
"A few seconds passed and he looked bewildered that there wasn’t a dog.
"I thought 'I’ve got to get to him quickly before he realises'."
The man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated taking a vehicle without consent. He was later released but enquiries are continuing.
PC Hutton admitted: "I’ve done it before when I was based in Salisbury and we were trying to get a man at a school.
"He ran across the school field and I knew we were never going to catch him, so I let out a couple of barks."
(Source: Mirror)
