Police Dog Razor Helps Make Arrest

A man who Tampa Police say burglarized two cars in New Tampa July 11 learned how police dog Razor got his name.

Oran Austin Gustitis, 19, of the 18000 block of Bridle Club Drive in New Tampa, was arrested early Thursday morning after being tracked by K9 Master Police Officer R. Wurst and K9 Razor, according to a Tampa Police Department report and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrest records.

Tampa Police were called to 10666 Great Falls Lane for an auto burglary in progress and learned that two vehicles had been broken into, the report states. Wurst and Razor tracked Gustitis, who was hiding behind an electrical box.

“The K9 handlers give the suspect the time and option to surrender peacefully before they release the K9,” said Lisa Timmer, TPD’s neighborhood affairs liaison. “They, in fact, verbally state that they will release the K9, which gives the suspect time to think about how it would feel for the K9 to be the one to detain them. The suspect did not surrender and the officers could not see if he was armed or not, due to the fact it was night and he was hidden, so they sent Razor in.”

Razor bit Gustitis on his right thigh, allowing police to handcuff Gustitis, the report states. Gustitis suffered minor injury and was medically cleared at Tampa General Hospital.

Gustitis is being charged with loitering or prowling and two counts of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, according to arrest records. He is being held in jail on $4,250 bond.