A police dog named Elsa played a crucial role in the detention of a suspected car thief following a pursuit in the early hours of Monday morning. The suspect, who fled on foot after crashing the stolen vehicle, was later charged with multiple offences.
Kent Police were alerted at 2:48 AM on Monday, December 9, 2025, after a Ford S Max was reported stolen from Primrose Road in Dover. Patrols quickly located the vehicle in the nearby Whitfield area and signalled for the driver to stop. A brief police pursuit ensued before the car was brought to a halt. The driver then abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
Officers immediately deployed Police Dog Elsa, who successfully tracked the suspect to a nearby field. A man was located and subsequently arrested. The stolen Ford S Max was also recovered by the police. Later the same day, a man aged, 26, of no fixed address, was formally charged of aggravated vehicle taking (including vehicle damage), dangerous driving and three further driving offences in connection with the incident.
He appeared before Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, December 10 and remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Canterbury Crown Court at a later date.