Cops Nab Burglary Suspect With Help of Police Dog

Milford police nabbed a burglary suspect who allegedly broke into an RV in a driveway Friday afternoon, crawled out a roof hatch to elude cops, ran into a swampy area and then refused to give up -- forcing investigators to send a police dog to grab him.

The incident unfolded shortly before 1 p.m., when a resident of 115 Pond Point Ave. reported that a relative -- who once lived there -- had broken into a recreational vehicle on the property, according to Milford Police Department spokesman Jeffrey Nielsen.

When cops showed up, the suspect -- identified as James Edwards, 22, of no known address -- was holed up in the RV and managed to elude immediate capture by climbing out of a hatch on the roof, Nielsen said.

Cops chased the suspect into a nearby swampy area by Gulf Pond -- and called for backup. Several police officers, two dogs and a helicopter formed a perimeter and searched the area, Nielsen said.

Cops, stepping on dry soil one moment and into knee-deep water the next, said the area was so dense with trees and brush that they passed the suspect the first time around.

But when investigators spotted the suspect hiding in the brush, they warned him to come out with his hands up, Nielsen said. The relative who had called police had warned that the suspect could be armed with a knife -- and a search of police records indicated the suspect could be armed with a gun, according to Nielsen.

"Officers told Edwards to come out and display his hands several times (to) the police, which he refused to do," police said.

So, cops sent in a police dog -- who they would not identify -- to nab the suspect. The dog grabbed the man by the arm, allowing officers to move in, Nielsen said.

The suspect, who has an unspecified pre-existing "serious medical condition," was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated, according to Nielsen. Edwards might have also suffered minor injuries during the capture, Nielsen said.

A woman who answered the door at the home, declined to comment.

Charges were pending against Edwards, police said. Investigators were searching for a weapon, according to Nielsen. He said it was unclear whether anything was taken from the RV.