DENVER — A daring theft unfolded at a Colorado pet store as thieves orchestrated a cunning distraction to make off with two expensive bulldogs. According to local authorities, the incident occurred when a man allegedly staged a seizure to divert the attention of store employees, allowing an accomplice to snatch the puppies from their pen.
Captured on surveillance footage, the incident took place on Sunday at a pet store in suburban Denver. Three individuals entered the establishment separately, inquiring about the puppies, which carry a price tag of $4,299 each, as detailed by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. Amidst the commotion of a 37-year-old man simulating a seizure, one of the other suspects removed the lid from the puppies’ pen, seized the animals, and bolted for the exit. An employee attempted to intercept him, causing the man to briefly drop the puppies, but he quickly retrieved them and dashed out of the store with another accomplice.
The trio made their getaway in a gold Cadillac Escalade, notable for its tinted windows and lack of license plates, which was waiting outside the scene of the crime, the sheriff’s office reported.
The man suspected of feigning the seizure was taken into custody, facing charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, theft, and drug possession. Meanwhile, law enforcement continues to search for the two men involved in the theft and the individual driving the escape vehicle.
In a turn of fortune, one of the stolen puppies was returned. A woman who had unknowingly purchased the dog for $1,500 from a street vendor realized it matched the descriptions in news reports about the theft and came forward, according to the sheriff’s office. Perfect Pets, the store from which the puppies were stolen, has expressed their intention to reward her for her honesty and cooperation.
