Lancashire Police dog is “getting extra tummy rubs” after helping officers locate burglar

Lancashire Police have charged a man with a number of offences following a burglary in Preston.

Officers were called at around 7am on Saturday, September 14 2024 following reports of a burglary at a property on Holme Slack Lane.

It was reported that the suspect had entered the property through an insecure window while the occupants of the house were upstairs. A car was then stolen from the driveway after the keys were taken from the house.

The following day, the car was spotted by officers in the Frenchwood area of Preston and, after a short pursuit, the driver, a 28-year-old man was arrested after fleeing the car and being found hiding on the banks of the River Ribble by PD Viper.

Following an investigation by the South Residential Burglary Team and after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Samuel Knowles, 28, of no fixed address was charged with burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

He appeared at Preston Magistrates Court this week and was remanded to custody to next appear in October.

Operation Defender is a force-wide campaign that aims to combat residential burglary with support from Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.