SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FLA. (WSVN) - A family is distraught after, police said, someone stole their brand-new pet puppy.
Doug Peterson said Cedar, his family’s 4-month-old German Shepherd, was stolen from his home’s yard in Southwest Ranches earlier this week.
“Nice little puppy. Very gentle, very friendly. The kind of puppy that would let just about anybody pick her up,” Peterson said.
The thief didn’t take any of the family’s four other dogs, but Peterson is left wondering who would be brazen enough to steal straight off his property.
Peterson thinks the thief hopped his fence and took the puppy from his yard. “Somebody grabbed her and took off with her,” he said. “They’re pretty brave ’cause they’re risking a lot to come in someone’s yard.”
Police said they’re taking the missing canine very seriously. “We are handling it as a theft,” said Davie Police Sgt. Mark Leone. “We believe the dog has been stolen, and we are looking for any information.”
The theft comes at a time when other signs for missing pets are going up around the community.
“Apparently there’s been a rash of pet thieveries in the neighborhood,” Peterson said.
It’s something that Peterson’s neighbor, Mercy Garcia, knows all too well, after someone snatched her parrot.
“How can you steal somebody’s pet, you know,” Garcia said. “That’s really scary. Really weird and scary.”
Now Peterson is ready to hang signs for Cedar, hoping someone will do the right thing.
“Just wanna get her back, that’s all,” he said. “Kids are heartbroken, and you kinda get attached. They’re like a family member, you know.”
Peterson is offering a reward for the dog’s return.
If you have any information on this theft, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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