K9 Officer Sniffs Out Intruder Holed Up in Basement

A man hiding from O in his ex-girlfriend's basement was arrested after K9 Officer Orry tracked his scent and found him.

Police discovered Walter Kaleta, 44, hidden in clothes and blankets shoved beneath a bed frame in the basement of the house in the 15400 block of Laramie. Kaleta was charged with criminal trespass and resisting arrest.

Neighbors called police after they spotted Kaleta on a ladder outside the home after the homeowner had left for the day. Kaleta and the homeowner had recently ended a long-term relationship, but the homeowner had allowed Kaleta to sleep on the couch after he appeared intoxicated at a party, according to police. The next morning, the homeowner and the ex both left, but Kaleta returned and entered the home through a garage door.

When police contacted the homeowner, they were alerted to a firearm somewhere inside the home. 

After multiple attempts to draw the man into plain sight, officers called for K9 backup. Officer Jason Vodnik warned him to surrender or risk being bitten. After no response, Vodnik released the dog. In the middle of the basement, Orry stopped abruptly and turned to the left, according to reports. He approached a wooden bed frame covered in sheets and clothes. Orry sniffed intently at the space under the bed, then barked repetitively to signal his find.

Kaleta rolled out from under the bed and was taken into police custody.

Read more about Orry's exploits.