Police Service Dog ‘Dirks’ locates prohibited rifle…

DAWSON CREEK, BC: Police Service Dog ‘Dirks’ of the Dawson Creek RCMP found what he was looking for last week following a report of a man carrying a rifle out of a home… 

Police say officers had received multiple reports of issues with previous tenants of a rental property near 92nd Ave and 9th Street. 

At approximately 11:00 AM on Thursday, officers received a report from the property manager that the previous tenant was witnessed to be carrying a rifle out of the house and they believed it did not belong to him.  

Officers attended the scene and spoke with the male tenant who was unable to clarify if the gun was either a toy, an imitation/replica rifle, or that it was deactivated with no bolt or firing pin.  

Eventually the male claimed that he had given the gun to a friend and stated that “he wasn’t an idiot” and would not leave a gun laying around for ‘criminals’ to find.  

A search of the property by Police Service Dog ‘Dirks’ located the rifle laying in the back alley behind the residence.  

The rifle was identified as an M-14 that was intact and useable and was later determined to be a prohibited weapon.  

“The Dawson Creek RCMP appreciate it when Police Service Dog ‘Dirks’ attends to provide his assistance during discarded property searches like this. His ability to locate hidden objects such as these are beneficial not only to officer safety but to the public’s safety as well,” states Cst. EKKEL of the Dawson Creek RCMP.  

The male is known to police and the investigation is still ongoing in relation to this incident and the previous tenants as other stolen property was recovered within the residence.

Released by Dawson Creek RCMP with edits by PJXM News