Will County, IL – The Will County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents to create their own Scent Preservation Kits after a Beecher man was successfully located by a K-9 unit using this life-saving tool.
The man was found in a dense cornfield on Thursday after an extensive search that involved drones, officers, vehicles, and even a helicopter. Despite the difficult conditions, K-9 Lizzy and her handler, Deputy Marty Stortz, were able to track him down using his preserved scent.
Scent Preservation Kits are simple but powerful tools that can store an individual’s scent for up to 10 years. Introduced by the Sheriff’s Office in 2020, these kits are designed to assist in finding at-risk individuals, such as those with Alzheimer’s, autism, or other conditions that may cause them to wander.
The Sheriff’s Office is encouraging the public to take proactive steps by creating their own Scent Kits at home. These kits can be vital in helping K-9 units quickly locate missing loved ones. Residents interested in learning how to make a Scent Kit or in obtaining a free kit can email freescentkit@willcosheriff.org. The recent success story highlights the importance of having a scent kit ready, as it can make all the difference in an emergency.
