The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is searching for a man who stole a puppy from a pet store in Tampa.
On Thursday, August 13, 2020, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the unidentified suspect entered All About Puppies located at 13705 North Dale Mabry Highway. Surveillance video captured the man grabbing an eight-week-old Maltese puppy, with a retail value of $3,000, from its playpen, and fleeing the store as employees raced behind him.
The suspect managed to drive away in a burgundy red Kia Spectra that fled Northbound on North Dale Mabry Highway. The puppy is microchipped and has been flagged as stolen.
"This man entered a pet store in broad daylight and snatched a puppy with no hesitation," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Not only is it a living creature that deserves to be treated with respect, it belongs to this business, and should have only left with someone who paid for it."
Anyone who recognizes the man in the surveillance video is urged to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at (813) 247-8200.