K9 Navigates Lakewood Homeless Camp To Catch Theft Suspect

LAKEWOOD, WA - A Pierce County Sheriff's K9 recently assisted Lakewood police in finding a suspect who ran into an overgrown forest near Charlton Lake. A Lakewood officer had tried to stop the suspect at an apartment complex after observing him make a turn without using a signal. When the officer shined a spotlight on the suspect's car, the suspect threw open the door and ran east toward Steele Street.

When the Lakewood officer saw the suspect, 26, sprint into a wooded area, he contacted Pierce County for K9 assistance. K9 Kramer and his handler responded, and Kramer dove into the woods after the suspect. The K9 ignored a homeless encampment and led his handler to a shirt hanging from a tree.

"Kramer found a shirt hung on low branches and took it into his mouth for a couple of seconds (indicating he had found evidence dropped by the suspect). Kramer had ignored several other pieces of clothing and personal items on the trails," Pierce County reported.

Kramer then found the suspect hiding under a pile of branches a mere 10 feet from where the handler was standing.

Police arrested the man for possession of stolen property. The car the man had been driving was not stolen, but the license plates belonged to someone else. Police also found the suspect with a social security card that wasn't his.

Image via Pierce County Sheriff's Office