A man who abandoned his Labrador while fleeing police on an illegal e-scooter was found hiding in an attic after the dog led officers to his location. Charles Foy, 41, was observed by a patrol officer in February 2026 riding an e-scooter, a vehicle that cannot be insured and is prohibited on public roads. The officer noted a "considerable smell of cannabis" emanating from Foy, who was accompanied by two dogs running alongside his scooter.
When signaled to stop, Foy instead attempted to evade the officer by maneuvering through narrow alleyways and cul-de-sacs. During the pursuit, he abandoned one of his dogs, a Labrador, which could not keep pace with the e-scooter. The officer exited his vehicle and followed the dog, which led him to an address on Beaconsfield Road.
Initially appearing empty, the property revealed the second dog at a ground-floor window. After multiple attempts to get a resident to answer the door, officers entered the house. A subsequent search uncovered an open loft hatch, and Foy was discovered hiding beneath insulation in the attic.
Upon his discovery, Foy claimed he was sleeping in the loft due to overcrowding in the residence. He also denied riding the e-scooter and stated he was unaware that police vehicles used sirens. Foy was convicted of failing to stop for police, driving while disqualified, using a motor vehicle without insurance, and failing to provide a drug test.
He received a three-month prison sentence and a four-year, three-month driving ban. PC Mike Smith noted the dog's loyalty in leading officers to Foy, stating that the sentence and ban reflect the seriousness of his offenses, including operating an illegal vehicle while potentially impaired by substances. Smith emphasized that e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on public roads due to insurance limitations and may be classified as motor vehicles requiring a license, insurance, and helmet, which many riders lack.
