Police Bloodhound Credited With Tracking Down Bank Robbery Suspect In Ontario

ONTARIO (CBS) — A police bloodhound was hailed a hero Thursday for helping nab a bank robbery suspect in Ontario Wednesday night.

Officials said the suspect was taken into custody about a mile-and-a-half from the bank.

Authorities say they couldn't have done it without the help of K-9 Maddy and her partner, Officer Travis Shows of the Murrieta Police Department.

About two hours after an attempted heist at a Wells Fargo branch -- police in Ontario called for help from Officer Shows and Maddy. Ontario does not have their own bloodhound.

Officers preserved the crime scene before the dog arrived.

Investigators let Maddy sniff a hand written note the suspect used to demand money from a teller. Shows said the note had been touched by four bank employees, but that did not matter to Maddy's keen nose.

"She is able to smell each one of the people that were there. She touched the scent article and she's able to realize they're here. I'm not looking for them. She's looking for what we call a missing member. And that's the individual that was the suspect," Shows said.

A Google Earth map showed the winding path Maddy and Shows took after she got a hit on the suspect's scent.

Detectives were able to interview witnesses and neighbors, who helped lead them to David Cerda, 36.

Cerda was found just a few blocks away.