Moment brazen thieves steal a dozen caged French bulldog puppies worth $100K from a California pet store
- A dozen French bulldogs were stolen from a pet store in Gardena
- Four masked robbers broke into the store and grabbed the puppies
- The dogs are still missing as police and the community search for them
This is the moment brazen thieves stole a dozen locked puppies worth $100,000 by taking them from a California pet store and throwing them in the back of a getaway van.
Surveillance video captured four masked men breaking into the Top Dog Pet Store in Gardena just after 1 a.m. Tuesday.
The robbers took twelve French bulldogs, including a ten-month-old show dog named ‘Roll
Store owner Andrew Avalos said KTLA5 the robbers grabbed the puppies and threw them into a large white Chevy van “as if they were stuffed animals.”
It’s unclear if the dogs were injured and Gardena police are hunting for the missing pups.
Four masked thieves are seen throwing a dozen French bulldogs into the back of a white van on Tuesday morning
Store owner Andrew Avalos said the financial loss from the robbery is concerning, but finding the stolen dogs is his top priority
The video begins with the robbers backing their van toward the front of the store on Rosecrans Avenue before the suspects open the vehicle’s two rear doors.
Two men then jump out of the van and proceed to break down the front doors with tools before storming into the store.
The pair then run to the back of the establishment as a third suspect follows behind them.
The burglars turn on the lights in the back room and begin rolling out cages full of barking French bulldogs.
In a hurry, the thieves throw a cage of dogs into the van before forcefully throwing each dog inside.
While the others manage to grab the dogs, one of the brazen thieves, wearing a black beanie with white writing on it, breaks into the cash register and fills his pockets with $2,000.
“We love our animals, you know, it’s just frustrating to know that they’re out there and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Avalos said.
The pet store is equipped with sixteen security cameras and a metal fence, but the thieves still managed to get away with the dogs and the money.
The robbers stormed the back of the store and began frantically wheeling out the cages full of dogs
The pet store had sixteen surveillance cameras and a medal gate to protect the store, but the robbers still managed to break in
Many concerned community members have taken to social media to help locate the stolen puppies.
Avalos said, “We appreciate that they came together to help us at a time like this.”
The store owner also revealed that the financial loss resulting from the robbery is concerning, but finding the stolen dogs is his top priority.
Avalos said he is offering a hefty cash reward for anyone who can help locate the missing pups or the suspects who have yet to be identified.
According to Bubbly petthe average price of French bulldog puppies can differ based on each person’s lineage.
Community members and the pet store have taken to social media in an attempt to help locate the stolen puppies
The robbers pulled up in a white Chevy van while three of them took the dogs and one of them took $2,000 in cash from the store cash register.
One from “common” bloodlines typically costs anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000, but if they come from “champion bloodlines” they can go for $2,000 to $6,000.
The site added that micro French bulldogs are the most expensive type for this breed, as they are valued at $100,000 due to their “rarity and amazing appearance.”
In addition to the initial cost of acquiring a French bulldog, the breed alone is known to have a host of health problems that can become costly.
French bulldogs have a lifespan of about 10 to 12 years and average medical costs of $4,300.