A San Diego man who could not resist rubbing the belly of a golden retriever — even in the middle of a brazen theft — was arrested, the San Diego Police Department said on Sunday.
The police department posted a picture on Facebook of the dog smiling with his tongue hanging out in front of the bike, which has since been returned to where it was stolen on Diamond Street in Pacific Beach.
Garage security video footage shows the man, 42, sharing a moment with Ace, whom the police department called "a very good boy," before taking off with a bike that is believed to be around $1,300.
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The department thanked an anonymous tip and the work of SDPD's Northern Division Investigations for the bike's return.
"This success underscores the power of community collaboration. Thank you for helping keeping our city safe!" the department wrote on Facebook.
“The guy enters the garage, grabs the bike and starts to walk out. He is about five feet outside the garage door, and a golden retriever comes outside, into the garage, and follows the guy out. He immediately comes back in, parks the bike and starts playing with the dog,” San Diego Police Department Lt. Brian Brecht said of the theft at the time.
Lt. Brecht shared the following tips for people in the community:
“Lock your house. If you have an alarm, activate that alarm and be aware of your surroundings. If you are going to leave for a while, let your neighbors know that you’re out of town,” Brecht said.
