BONNEY LAKE, Wash. — A suspect has been arrested for allegedly driving off with a puppy he didn’t pay for while meeting up with a licensed breeder for a potential sale.
On Sept. 9, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office was called to a home in Bonney Lake to take a report for the stolen puppy.
The victim, a licensed breeder who breeds Australian Labradoodles, had arranged for a puppy named Sherbert to be adopted, deputies said.
According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect contacted the breeder about the adoption and instead of paying for Sherbert, took the puppy and drove off.
“Thankfully, good photos of the suspect, his clothing, and his vehicle gave our detectives a great starting point for their investigation. Over the following days, detectives and deputies worked diligently to identify the suspect and locate the stolen puppy,” the sheriff’s office said.
On Sept. 16, their investigation led them to an apartment complex on Pioneer Way E in Puyallup.
There, they located the suspect’s vehicle seen on camera.
With a search warrant, deputies arrested the 35-year-old suspect. According to deputies, the man also had felony warrants in other states, and he will be extradited at a later time,
He was arrested for second-degree theft and second-degree felony possessing stolen property.
Sherbert was safely returned to his owner.
You can watch the video here.
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