CRIME BLOTTER

Olympia police arrest suspects who steal puppies, bear spray owners

Jul 3, 2024, 11:22 AM | Updated: 11:46 am

Photo: These puppies were stolen and recovered last week in Olympia....

These puppies were stolen and recovered last week in Olympia. (Photo courtesy of the Olympia Police Department)

(Photo courtesy of the Olympia Police Department)

Olympia police officers arrested two people accused of robbing owners of their puppies last week.

According to an X post by the Olympia Police Department (OPD), the two suspects bear-sprayed the owners and then stole their three puppies.

OPD said the owners knew the thieves and told officers who to look for.

More on missing puppies: 5 abandoned puppies are fighting for their lives in Pierce County

Officers said it didn’t take long to find the suspects, as police used their car registration to find their home. Thurston County deputies responded and helped OPD rescue the puppies. The three tiny black and brown pups are reportedly less than six months old.

The puppies are back home and the suspects were booked into the Thurston County Jail for first-degree robbery.

Past dog thefts in the area

In April, Tukwila police recovered a stolen SUV and found a female pitbull and two puppies inside. The dogs did not belong to the owner of the SUV and were listed as lost.

Later in April, Kirkland police were able to reunite three French bulldogs with their owner. The dogs were stolen, along with their owner’s van. Officers got a tip that someone was trying to sell the dogs and were able to recover all three.

A month later, a family lost their beloved puppy Rooster. The family’s truck was stolen with Rooster sleeping inside. The family has yet to find the puppy but told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that they are not giving up.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.

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Olympia police arrest suspects who steal puppies, bear spray owners