DETROIT (WWJ) - Pennsylvania residents on edge for nearly two weeks after a dangerous convicted murderer escaped from prison can now breathe a sigh of relief after a pointy-eared officer based in Detroit assisted in his capture.
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Detroit Sector announced they assisted in the capture of escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante on Wednesday morning after a reported burglary.
Cavalcante, 34, had been on the run since Aug. 31 when he managed to break out of the Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township.
After nearly two weeks and an extensive manhunt mounted by hundreds of local and federal authorities from across the country, officials closed in on Cavalcante.
Authorities tracked him down using a heat-sensing plane and spotted him crawling under brush.
That's when 4-year-old Belgian Malinois "Yoda" with Detroit's Border Patrol was sent in.
"You can run, but you can't hide," Detroit agents said on Facebook when they confirmed Yoda was responsible for pinning down and holding Cavalcante until team members from BORTAC and Pennsylvania State Police could reach him.
Cavalcante did not sustain any significant injuries, except for a minor dog bite, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a news briefing, adding that Cavalcante was still armed with .22 caliber firearm that he had stolen on Monday night.
“He resisted but was taken into custody and no one was injured,” Bivens said.
Authorities said the element of surprise and sending in Yoda played a "large role" in preventing Cavalcante from using the weapon.
"Outstanding job to our Detroit-based agents and everyone else involved – especially K9 Yoda!" federal officials said.
