A suspect on the run after stealing a U-Haul truck was arrested Thursday evening with the help of K-9 Hans, a police dog from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO). According to an official statement, the sequence of events began when an MCSO deputy noticed the occupied stolen vehicle at the Wood Village Fred Meyer parking lot.
The deputy's attempt to intercept the truck was to no avail as the suspect fled the scene, initiating a pursuit that would later require a multi-agency response. Despite the use of a spike strip on NE 223rd Avenue and NE Park Lane by an MCSO deputy, which punctured one of the vehicle's tires, the driver continued to quickly drive away, as detailed by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. The pursued truck moved along NE Sandy Boulevard, moving from Wood Village into Northeast Portland.
As the chase advanced, officers from the Gresham Police Department joined in to monitor the suspect's movements. A report by MCSO detailed that the Portland Police Bureau also provided support as the stolen U-Haul, now slowed down by a second spike strip deployment, came to a stop near NE Sandy Boulevard and NE 131st Place.
The suspect soon exited the disabled truck and attempted to quickly disappear on foot into the surrounding neighborhoods. That's when K-9 Hans entered the scene, successfully tracking down the suspect hiding under a deck. Gabriel Vogel, 38, was taken into custody at around 6:49 p.m., as mentioned in the MCSO statement. No property damage or injuries were reported as a result of the incident. The arrest was a product of collaboration between the MCSO, Gresham Police Department, and the Portland Police Bureau, who were collectively thanked in the MCSO statement for their contributions to the resolution of the chase.
More details about the booking can be found on the MCSO's official website, which includes information regarding the successful multi-agency operation and the role of K-9 Hans in the apprehension of the suspect.
