Police dog Duke refuses to let go after clinging to car thief’s leg and being dragged behind vehicle in Melbourne
- Officer and dog tackle car thief
- Thief drags police dog 150 m
- READ MORE: Cop throws dog
A police dog was dragged 150 meters along a road after latching on to the leg of a car thief who attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle while avoiding arrest.
Joel Simons got into a violent fight with a dog squad officer who spotted the 36-year-old trying to break into a car in the southeastern Melbourne suburb of Cranbourne on September 18. ‘last year.
Video surveillance and police body camera footage show the officer struggling with Simons.
“Comrade police, police, police,” the officer shouts as Simons tries to free himself from his grip.
“Get on the floor, b***h. »
Duke manages to sink his teeth into Simons’ thigh, but the car thief still manages to drive off, dragging the unfortunate animal out of the driver’s side door.
Simons grabbed a metal baton and delivered brutal blows to the officer’s head, loosening his grip.
As Simons breaks free and runs into the street, the officer invites police dog Duke to come out of the back of his vehicle to help bring down the fugitive.
Duke, a Belgian Malinois, chases Simons who jumps into a stolen Toyota Corolla parked a few meters down the street.
Before Simons can close the door, the brave police dog sinks its teeth into the thief’s leg while the officer attempts to pull the offender from the car.
However, Simons is able to accelerate and Duke is dragged to the side of the vehicle.
“He has my dog. Duke jumps! Come!, shouts the officer in despair.
The dog had to be rushed to an emergency veterinarian with abrasions to his right shoulder, inner thigh, all four legs and a deep abrasion to his right knee.
The officer was taken to hospital with deep facial cuts and bruising.
Police later found the Toyota, which had been stolen from a car rental company, in Lang Lang, about 70km southeast of Melbourne.
Simons was arrested the following day and pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent, harming an animal, driving while disqualified and attempting to steal the Holden.
As Simons runs to his nearby Toyota, the officer calls for his faithful companion, police dog Duke.
A court heard Simons suffered from cognitive disabilities and was a heavy user of illegal drugs.
In September he appeared in Victoria County Court again to face charges of wounding with intent and animal cruelty after being jailed for almost a year on remand.
Simons told the court he was upset at being charged with animal cruelty because he was not the type of person to harm animals.
“He (Duke) jumped in the car, he jumped, I didn’t drag him,” Simons testified, according to the Gazette des Montagnes Bleues.
The court heard Simons suffered from cognitive impairments which left him compulsive and unable to cope with complicated circumstances.
He spent much of his life homeless but still hoped to find long-term accommodation with help from the NDIS.
Simons worked seven days a week as a laborer and NBN fiber optic installer before being forced to take time off work for mental health reasons.
This had led him to fall back into drug use, the heart of the court.
He is expected to be sentenced at a later date.
