A little puppy had a long journey all across southern California.
Local
A family was shocked last Saturday to discover their 3-month-old French bulldog puppy, named Sol, was not in their backyard.
Oceanside Police Department said Sol was puppynapped after an intruder broke through the lock on a backyard gate to steal the dog.
Sisters Sky, 7, and Nevaeh, 10, were devastated that their pet had been taken. According to their mother, Tiffani, they cried themselves to sleep every night.
The family had paid $3,500 for the puppy. When the family checked Craigslist, they saw Sol listed for sale, recognizing him by his distinct markings.
Tiffani reached out to the suspect, even offering to pay to get the dog back, police said. But the person who posted the ad never responded and quickly took it down.
Police were able to track down who posted the listing. Sol had been taken to Escondido, then sold to someone in San Bernardino County. Then he was sold again to a family in Riverside County. An unsuspecting woman had purchased Sol in Hemet.
"We were able to track her down and go to Hemet to get the dog," said Sergeant John McKean of the Oceanside Police Department. "It was a tearful event for her because she loves dogs. She knew it was the right thing to do to give the dog back to the family."
The girls were overjoyed to get their pet back. They screamed with excitement as their parents surprised them by putting Sol in a giant cardboard box that they opened.
"Having seen how happy they were of getting their dog back and the appreciation they have for the life of that dog, it felt really good to know law enforcement helped make that difference," said the girls' stepfather, Travis Shows.
Police have turned the case over to the San Diego District Attorney's Office, requesting a charge of "grand theft of a dog over $950."
