Diesel was in high gear a few nights ago when she woke up the Nicolas household in Deer Park.
Around 4 a.m., the Maltese spotted a prowler rummaging through vehicles parked in the neighbourhood and was growling, Lesley Nicolas said on Tuesday.
“We keep our second-storey window and curtains open so the dog can look out.
“She gave a growl and it woke me up,” Nicolas said.
She peered out and saw a man standing by a neighbour’s pickup truck.
Lesley then woke up her husband Regan.
The prowler, in his 40s, was going back and forth shining a flashlight into several parked vehicles.
The family has RCMP officer friends who live a few houses down the street and called them to say the suspect was headed their way.
Following a 911 call, the suspect was given chase by the male neighbour police officer and then Regan Nicolas also gave chase.
The suspect spotted oncoming police cruisers and fled through a backyard.
“The police were there in about three minutes, which was great,” she said.
“Regan knew the back alley so he took a shortcut and tackled the guy just after he had jumped a fence.
“The officers then came and took over,” Lesley Nicolas said.
She said the suspect entered about seven vehicles.
“He was just looking for money and throwing things around,” she said.
The neighbourhood has been hit previously by vandals breaking into vehicles.
Lesley said she’s going to try to organize a Neighbourhood Watch group with a neighbouring street.
“You always think it’s not going to happen to you but it does.
“There’s about eight households who know each other quite well so we’re going to get together and try to do something,” Lesley Nicolas said.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com