Escape artist dog Scampi forces burglar to scarper (From Worcester News)

Escape artist dog Scampi forces burglar to scarper

12:40pm Sunday 16th December 2012 in News By Freya Leng

A BURGLAR was stopped in his tracks after an inquistive dog disturbed him with his hand in the till at a village pub.
Three-year-old Scampi, a Whippet and Bresslington Terrier cross, had just come back from an early morning walk with his owner in Ashton-under-hill, near Evesham, when he escaped from the front garden.
After running off into the village, he was seen on CCTV at the Star Inn at the same moment a burglar had broken into the pub and was in the process of taking money from the till.
Owner Doreen Cope, of Elmley Road, said despite the thief making off with the money, Scampi’s antics might have prevented him from taking anything else.
“I came home but I gather from the CCTV camera he went to the pub,” she said. “I think he stopped him getting away with even more.
“This person was trying to take the till, grabbed the tray and jumped back out the window with Scampi hard on his heels.
“He actually foiled the man from taking anything else.
“I expect they thought there was a person with him.
“It was quite funny really he should go down at that opportune moment.
“He’s [Scampi] an escapologist. He shot off like a rocket. He’s the sort of dog that does his own thing. He’s twice jumped out of a 20ft window.”
West Mercia Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident which took place between 4.47am and 5.02am on Saturday December 8.
Eddie Spires, landlord at the Star Inn, said: “The dog was here and he might have scared him off. I am annoyed but it could have been a lot worse. There wasn’t too much damage.”
A laptop and wallet were also stolen from a house on Elmley Road.
Anyone with information about either incident should call Police on 101.