Burglar left to rue unexpected police dog meeting

PD Max and John Foster

A burglar was left to rue an unexpected meeting with a police dog.

John Foster, aged 38, came to the attention of PD Max after he and another man stole tools from a house in Eastwood

Police had been called after the pair were seen coming and going from a house under renovation in Bailey Grove Road shortly after midnight.

A police dog handler soon arrived at the scene and spotted Foster walking away from the garage.

Max, one of Nottinghamshire Police’s biggest dogs, was deployed a few seconds later after his handler’s instructions to stop went unanswered.

Foster, who has previous convictions for theft and handling stolen goods, was found clambering on a car bonnet a short distance away with the dog locked onto his foot

A subsequent search of the crime scene on 28 January 2024 revealed multiple tools lined up by the side of the house, an open garage door and a discarded crowbar.

During his subsequent police interview Foster claimed merely to have been using the Portaloo in the front garden after being caught short.

After consistently denying responsibility, Foster, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, finally pleaded guilty in March this year.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday 30 April he was jailed for 11 months.

PC Billy Askey, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“Foster and his accomplice travelled to the scene with a clear intent to steal and would certainly have made off with a large quantity of tools had they not been disturbed by an unplanned meeting with one of our most formidable police dogs.

“Thanks to Max and his handler Foster was detained at the scene and was left with little choice but to plead guilty.”