Suspect Sought in Break-Ins; Dog Shooting Investigated

Officers from the St. Ignace Police Department are in search of a young male suspect accused of entering homes on the east side of town last week. In a related issue, Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting of a residential dog that attacked a police dog in pursuit of the trespassing suspect.

Police were called to the scene at a woman’s home Thursday, August 4, with a report of a strange man in her home. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived. A State Police dog began tracking the suspect, but lost his trail.

Police were called to a house Sunday, August 7, just four houses down from Thursday’s incident, on a similar complaint of a suspicious man trespassing in a residential home.

St. Ignace Police Sergeant Mark Wilk said residents in the area were directed to keep all pets chained or in the house as the State Police tracking dog was on pursuit of the suspect’s trail. Sergeant Wilk said one resident’s dogs somehow got loose and started running toward the police dog. A State Police Canine Unit officer shot the resident’s dog because the police dog was still in pursuit of the suspect.

“A tracking dog is a police officer, just like us,” explained Sergeant Wilk.

Police are still investigating the residential home invasion incidents and, said Sergeant Wilk, there are a few suspects being investigated.

Sergeant Wilk advises residents to lock their homes and vehicles, record identification numbers to all valuable items, keep a good inventory of belongings, and keep watch for suspicious people in the neighborhood.