- Albuquerque police on horseback had to reign in a suspect who allegedly fled a shoplifting incident.
- The only horsepower available ended up successful after a brief chase.
- Horsecam caught the entire interaction including the man’s initial attempt to use traffic to escape.
Horse-mounted police in Albuquerque just chased down a suspected shoplifting suspect. Not only did they catch up quickly, but they arrested the man and threw the horseshoe at him so to speak. He’s now facing multiple charges for over $200 of stolen property.
The 30-year-old man in question allegedly stole the merchandise from a local Walgreens. When authorities got the tip about the theft, a horse-mounted unit was already nearby. Video from one of the riders shows as he arrives on the scene and asks someone at the establishment to point out the suspect.
Read: How Much Horsepower Is A Horse?
As soon as they do, the suspect appears to begin running from the officer. The mounted policeman calls out to the suspect several times to stop and that he’s being detained. All that the suspect says is “It wasn’t me.” The chase goes about how one might imagine it would.
The officer catches up in no time despite the suspect running into traffic. Then, the man appears to recognize that it’s not just one officer on horseback chasing him but three. The authorities surround the man and take him into custody. Officers charged him with shoplifting $230 worth of merchandise, evading police on foot, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
This isn’t even the only pedestrian pursuit rodeo for the Albuquerque-mounted police. In October 2023, Sgt. Mike Schroder had to detain and arrest a man who slapped the horse he was patrolling on. He warns potential suspects that “If you’re going to run from us, you’re gonna go to jail tired.”
Officers say that the horses have unique advantages. Not only do they allow police to see above crowds but they also create a space where some in the community want to approach and interact with officers.