New York Authorities Searching for Man After Ankle Monitor Turns Up on a Dog

According to the Times Union, authorities in upstate New York are on the hunt for a man who decided to skip a scheduled court appearance and, in the process, came up with one of the more… creative escape ideas we’ve heard in a while.

Get our free mobile app

The man, identified as Lamont Holmes, was supposed to appear in court earlier this week for a hearing tied to weapons charges. Instead of showing up, investigators say Holmes vanished — but not before doing something that immediately raised eyebrows when officials checked the GPS data from his court-ordered ankle monitor.

At first glance, the tracking information looked odd. Really odd. The data suggested the “suspect” was wandering around a backyard, stopping suddenly, looping aimlessly, and occasionally lifting a leg near bushes. That’s when it clicked: the ankle monitor wasn’t on a person anymore.

Authorities say Holmes allegedly cut off the GPS device and strapped it to a dog.

Yes. A dog.

As you might imagine that realization set off a whole new phase of the search. The monitor itself was still transmitting, but whoever was wearing it clearly wasn’t planning a getaway — just enjoying a very normal day of being a dog. Officials have not said whether the animal belongs to Holmes or someone else, but they did confirm the dog appears to be unharmed and blissfully unaware of its brief cameo in a criminal investigation.

Read More: Good Girl - Connecticut K-9 Honored After Arrest 

Holmes, meanwhile, is still believed to be on the run. He was already facing serious charges that could carry a lengthy prison sentence, and it’s unclear whether this ankle-monitor swap will add even more trouble to his situation.

And look — on a purely theoretical level, you can almost admire the creativity. Confuse the data, buy a little time, let technology chase a golden retriever instead of you. But history tells us one thing pretty clearly: everyone gets caught eventually. GPS doesn’t forget, investigators notice patterns, and no escape plan involving a household pet has ever ended with a victory lap.

The dog gets to walk away from this one. The human? That part of the story is still unfolding.