A 5-kilometre trail tracked by a sniffer dog in the dead of night led the Punjab Police directly to the doorstep of a thief in Faridkot, helping them solve a burglary case within just six hours Friday night. This operation resulted in the recovery of Rs 5 lakh in cash and 35 grams of gold, and the suspect’s arrest.
Dr Pragya Jain, Senior Superintendent of Police, Faridkot, said this was the first time in her career that a sniffer dog played such a crucial role in cracking a case. Her team, she said, was amazed at the accuracy with which six-year-old Roxy led them to the thief’s house. The accused, Gurpiyar Singh, 35, a resident of Pakhi Khurd village, owns seven acres of land but was burdened with a loan of Rs 25 lakh, and this led him to steal the value, according to the police.
Speaking to The Indian Express, SSP Jain said the Faridkot Sadar police station received a call at 7 pm reporting a theft at the home of Ravdeep Singh, a garment shop owner from the Ghoniwala village.
“Ravdeep’s wife Gagandeep Kaur, a government school teacher, usually joins him in the afternoon at the shop after coming from school after a brief stop at home, leaving the house locked for most of the day. That evening, Ravdeep received a call from his brother, who noticed that the lights in the house were switched on and the main gate was open. The couple rushed home. They found that the lobby door had been broken, and the almirah locks had been forced open,” said Jain. The couple initially reported a theft of Rs 14 lakh and 35 grams of gold but later revised the stolen amount to Rs 5 lakh and the same amount of gold, added Jain.
Roxy enters the scene
A police team led by Jasmeet Singh Sahiwal, Superintendent of Police (Investigation) and Tarlochan Singh, Deputy SP, reached the scene. While initial investigations began at 7 pm, sniffer dog Roxy was deployed at 9.30 pm.
“The dog sniffed footprints on the double bed, picked up a scent, and led the team on the five-kilometre chase. The pursuit took them through narrow lanes, open fields, and even near a canal, where the trail briefly went cold. However, the team found footprints again by crossing the canal through a kutcha (untarred) road. Once brought to a spot near the accused’s house, the sniffer dog immediately picked up the scent and resumed tracking,” she said.
By 12.30 am, the dog led the officers straight to the house of Gurpiyar Singh. When confronted, he allegedly denied any involvement. However, a search of his house and CCTV footage confirmed his role, said the police, who recovered the stolen cash and gold by 1 am and arrested him.
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Interestingly, no CCTV cameras were installed along the 5-kilometre stretch, but the thief’s security cameras provided crucial evidence. The footage showed him leaving his home and returning during the time of the crime, according to the police.
The SSP said that he was produced in court on Saturday afternoon, and further investigations will determine his motive behind the theft. “The case marks a significant success for the Punjab Police, highlighting the effectiveness of sniffer dogs in crime detection. What started as a routine investigation turned into a remarkable display of canine intelligence, proving that sometimes, the best detective in the force walks on four legs,” said Jain.
She said dog squad handler constable Lakhwinder Singh and his assistant Rajiv Kumar also played a key role in solving the case.