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Dog attracted two escaped inmates which led to their capture

black dog, Great Dane
A black Great Dane (sample photo)
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Wednesday, July 10, 2019

~ West Shore Voice News

West Shore RCMP say that two inmates who had escaped from William Head Institution in Metchosin were apprehended in Esquimalt by Victoria Police last night, July 9. They attribute the attentive work of an off-duty RCMP officer with his dog.

The public had been notified by West Shore RCMP on Monday morning, July 8, that the two inmates –James Lee Busch, 42 and Zachary Armitage, 30 — had escaped from William Head the night before on Sunday evening July 7 at 6:45 pm and were unlawfully at large.

On Tuesday evening, July 9, at about 8 pm the arrest of Busch and Armitage took place after off duty RCMP officer John Ferguson spotted the escapees in Esquimalt and contacted 911 for the Victoria Police Department to respond.

“The off duty officer was walking his dog, a Great Dane named Lewis, in the area of West Bay in Esquimalt when the escaped inmates commented on how big Lewis was,” says West Shore RCMP Media Relations Officer Cst Nancy Saggar. That’s when the RCMP officer immediately recognized the two.

“The RCMP officer called 911 right away and kept an eye on the inmates. Victoria Police responded with a heavy police presence and safely took the inmates into custody,” said Cst Saggar.

The Victoria Police Department have since turned over the inmates to the West Shore RCMP. Armitage and Busch are still in police custody and are expected to appear in court today July 10.

“We want to thank the public and the media for their help. Job well done by the Victoria Police Department, the off duty RCMP officer and Lewis the Great Dane who all contributed to the capture of these dangerous escaped inmates,” said Saggar in a news release.