German shepherd comes to the rescue, stops handbag thief

One of the witnesses, a man who was also a dog trainer, used his trained German shepherd he had with him to track and locate the offender in the carpark. Photo / iStock

A robber was nabbed after pinching a woman's handbag in a busy Auckland street -- by a German shepherd.

The man allegedly snatched a clutch purse from a woman in Bradnor Lane yesterday.

One of the witnesses, a man who was also a dog trainer, used his trained German shepherd he had with him to track and locate the offender in the carpark.

Auckland police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said officers were then called to Wilson's Hobson St carpark where the offender had been chased and apprehended by members of the public.

"When officers arrived the dog was using its paws to pin the compliant offender to the ground," she said.

"The offender was handcuffed and removed from the scene without incident. There were a number of witnesses and a large crowd watching with some members of the public filming the incident."

The woman's bag was recovered and the alleged offender will appear in the Auckland District Court on Monday.