Hats off to police dog Rocky as burglar is arrested over 5am Rushden break-in

PD Rocky proved you need to get up pretty early to outsmart a police dog after sniffing out some stolen goods with the aid of a burglar's dropped hat.

Police were called to flats in Hall Park Lane, Rushden following a 5am break-in on Thursday morning.

Response officers located and arrested the suspect before Rocky tracked down electronic equipment which had been discarded during the empty getaway.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman confirmed a 24-year-old man was arrested.

Rocky is one of the three newest recruits to the Force dog section alongside PD Blue and PD Gru.

Seven of the dogs' handlers will be making do without most of their four-legged friends, though, as they climb Mount Snowdon to raise cash for retired police dogs later this year.

Lucy Sculthorpe, Marta Murray, Sean Foster, Ash Price Dan Bradley-Brophy, Sam Clark and Kyle McGregor will tackle the 1,085metre-high peak, joined by two-year-old PD Socks and eight-year-old PD Nala.

Nala is Northamptonshire Police's oldest and most-experienced dog in service and is set to retire later this year, joining other retired PDs, Harper and Redd, in being supported by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation.

The charity provides much needed financial report to the canine heroes, whose vet bills are no longer covered by insurance after retirement.

PC Marta Murray said: “When our dogs retire, their handlers have the option to keep them post-service, or allow them to retire with other suitable people in their forever homes.

"Unfortunately, after retirement, there is no support for the medical treatment of the dogs, and it is often not possible to insure them.

“The Thin Blue Paw Foundation is invaluable in helping to ensure the dogs who have given so much of their lives to serving police forces across the country have a comfortable life when they eventually put their paws up and retire.”

■ Visit the team's JustGiving page HERE to help them to reach their £2,500 fundraising target and click the Thin Blue Paw Foundation website to find out more about their work.