Old Bridge Police Dogs Locate 2 Men Who Broke Into Woman's Home

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — On Tuesday night, an Old Bridge woman said she watched through her home's security system as two masked men entered her home.

The suspects were later chased down apprehended by the two Old Bridge Police dogs.

The woman lives in the Lakeridge development: At approximately 9 p.m. Tuesday, she called Old Bridge Police to tell them there were two masked men inside her home, which she owns. She was not at home, but able to watch the incident live on her home security system.

When police got there, neighbors told them they saw the two men exit the home through the backyard and were running across neighboring yards.

A foot chase ensued, with officers chasing the suspects over fences and running through wooded areas. Multiple officers arrived, including the two Old Bridge Police dogs, DeMaio and Zeus.

Zeus is a new police canine and this was actually his first assignment: He followed the order to track and within 15 minutes, the dog led officers to the suspects, who were hiding in the landscaping area of a home on a neighboring street.

Both suspects surrendered and were taken into custody without incident. Police say they got into the woman's home by breaking a window.

Both men are Colombian nationals. Harold Montano Portocarrero, 40, and Manuel Guaitoto, 40, both from Buenaventura, Colombia, were charged with burglary and other criminal charges.

Said Old Bridge Police on Facebook Thursday:

"It is not yet known how or why they picked that location to burglarize or how they arrived to our area.

Officer Paterek was the arresting officer. Assisting in the pursuit and subsequent arrest were Canine Officer DeMaio, K-9 Zeus, Officer A. Weiss, Officer Corona, Officer Symanski, Officer Dokouslis, Detective Belgio, Detective Cannillo, Detective Grecco, Detective Cronin, Sergeant Machen and Sergeant T. Snee."

"This incident showcases effective coordination between law enforcement units, including the use of a K-9 unit for tracking and apprehension. The suspects were apprehended swiftly and without further incident, ensuring the safety of the community and the successful resolution of the burglary case."