K-9 helps deputies arrest burglary suspect after Fayal Township search

Deputies used K-9 Phoenix to arrest a burglary suspect in Fayal Township after the man fled from officers, tried to run into a wooded area and then surrendered when he saw the dog. The arrest ended without injury, and the man’s name was not released as formal charges remained pending.

Law enforcement was called Thursday night, June 26, to a report of an attempted burglary in the small St. Louis County township. The suspect had multiple felony warrants and ran when officers arrived, turning what started as a property call into a search operation. By Friday morning, June 27, a concerned citizen reported a suspicious male not far from the original scene, and officers determined he was the same suspect they had been looking for.

When the man was told he was under arrest, he again tried to flee into the woods. Sgt. Ryan Smith then deployed K-9 Phoenix, and the suspect surrendered as soon as he saw the dog. Phoenix was quickly recalled. Deputies are routinely sent to suspicious persons and vehicles, serve arrest warrants and work in large rural and wilderness patrol areas where terrain can quickly widen the scope of a search.

Fayal Township has an estimated population of 1,938 spread across about 31.6 square miles. The sheriff’s office pulls its warrant list from Sixth Judicial District Court data and updates it nightly at 9 p.m., although delays can occur between a court action and the database refresh.

K-9 Phoenix has been part of that response capacity since June 2021. The Dutch Shepherd, born in May 2020, is partnered with Deputy Ryan Smith and is certified in narcotics detection and patrol work.