Family Dog Helps Thwart Crime Spree

NewsOn6.com

OTTAWA COUNTY -- A family dog helped thwart a brief crime spree by two Kansas brothers in Ottawa County Monday, June 22. Jason N. Holland, 28, and Jeremy D. Holland, 30, were arrested after allegedly robbing one local woman and approaching two others under suspicious circumstances.

The Holland brothers reportedly first stopped a vehicle on a rural road just west of Commerce, Okla. The two men blocked a woman's car with their vehicle and "aggressively jerked open the passenger door of the victim's vehicle," according to a press release from Ottawa County Sheriff Terry Durborow.

After stealing the woman's purse "out from under her," the brothers drove their car through a nearby yard at a residence where a woman and her children were swimming in a pool.

"The victim in this second act was very terrified and believed the two men were going to ram their car into the pool where she was swimming with her children," said Durborow.

The family's Boxer dog "took action and forced the subjects back into their vehicle," Durborow continue. The Holland brothers eventually fled the scene to approach another residence at the 1200 block of South 490 Road, less than a half mile south of the Kansas border.

They asked assistance of the female resident, telling her that they had a flat tire - a true story, according to the report.

The men followed the woman into her house when she went to get her phone.

Fortunately, Sergeant Robert Cook with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office was in the area looking for the suspects. After a struggle, Cook subdued and arrested the suspects.

"Sergeant Cook did an outstanding job in this case from start to finish and we are very proud of his actions in this case from start to finish," said Durborow.

"The victims in this case were able to get very accurate suspect and vehicle information, including the tag number to the vehicle that was used in these crimes," he said.  "This was obviously very helpful to the Sheriff's Office, and Sgt. Cook was able to locate and apprehend these dangerous criminals."  

The brothers were taken to the Ottawa County Jail where they are being held without bond on the anticipated charges of robbery and first degree burglary.