A POLICE dog tracked down a suspected burglar early this morning, after witnesses saw the teenager attempting to access cars in Harnham.

At around 3.15am, Wiltshire Police says it received several calls reporting suspicious activity in and around Bouverie Avenue.

One caller said a man had been seen acting suspiciously near to a house in the street, and another reported they had seen a man trying car door handles in the street.

Police dog (PD) Elvis was then deployed with officers, who located discarded clothing and a large lock knife.

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The dog continued tracking into a garden and located a man, who was arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of an offensive weapon and vehicle interference.

He is currently in custody in Melksham for further questioning.

Dog unit Inspector James Brain said: “This is yet another excellent example of how specialist officers, like the dog handlers, can assist officers from our local community policing teams to locate and detain suspects.

“By using the skills that our dogs are trained for regularly, PD Elvis was able to follow a scent and track through rural and urban conditions and find a number of items of interest, as well as a suspect.

“This case just shows the value of our police dogs and the contribution they can make to policing.

“We are grateful to the members of the public who initially reported their concerns regarding suspicious activity in their area – it is vital that if people see anything suspicious that they report it via 999 as it is happening so we can swiftly attend.”