NYPD, Mount Vernon PD, WCPD And 'Madison' The K9 Sniff Out Suspects

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Five suspects, who thought they had eluded the NYPD, didn't bank on law enforcement across the border closing in so quickly overnight.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, NYPD reported that it was following a vehicle wanted in connection with an armed robbery. The vehicle crossed into Westchester, traveling on I-87 and the Cross County Parkway before exiting into Mount Vernon at North Columbus Avenue.

NYPD did not have eyes on the vehicle but Mount Vernon police located it quickly and took three suspects into custody with the assistance of Westchester County police. But two others in the car had bailed out and fled on foot.

A bloodhound named "Madison" soon arrived on the scene (along with other WCPD Patrol officers and the Aviation Unit). Madison sniffed around the two seats that were occupied a short time earlier by the pair who fled.

Once Madison had their scent, it was only a matter of time.

Madison and her partner, supported by the Emergency Service Unit, tracked the suspects for about two blocks when Madison led them to the front porch of a home. Under that porch, trying to stay quiet and out of sight, were the two remaining suspects, police said. They jumped out and ran off – through a back yard or two and over a fence, according to cops. Westchester patrol officers ran one of them down, and MVPD and NYPD officers quickly caught the second.

"Great work by Sgt. Hicks and his canine partner Madison — backed up by POs Byrnes and Hinkley — when they tracked down two suspects last night who fled from the NYPD and Mount Vernon PD," Westchester Public Safety officials said in a statement released Wednesday evening. "We talk a lot about teamwork in the law enforcement community and it was on full display last night. Great job by NYPD spotting the suspect vehicle. Great job by MVPD in locating it when it entered their city. And great job by Madison, Sgt. Hicks, ESU and all the officers from all agencies involved in bringing these five suspects into custody."