Masked burglars break into home and steal French bulldogs worth $37,000, SC cops say
Masked burglars broke into a South Carolina home and stole French bulldogs worth an estimated $37,000, police said.
Now, the search is on for the 12 stolen puppies, last seen whisked away from the home in crates, according to the North Charleston Police Department and WCSC.
Henrietta Woodward told the TV station she’s offering a $5,000 reward after discovering all but one of her family’s dogs were taken Feb. 13, leaving her feeling hurt and in shock.
“It’s shaking,” Woodward said in the interview, adding that she and her daughter spent the night on a couch because they had trouble sleeping.
North Charleston police were called to the home Feb. 13 and spoke to two people who reported the break-in. They told police that a group entered the garage, possibly after kicking in a back door, officers wrote in an incident report.
Police said there was no evidence that anyone tried to go into the rest of the home, so the burglary “appeared to be targeted at stealing the animals” from the garage.
“The puppies have not yet been listed for sale and very few people are aware that the dogs exist and are at that address,” the home’s owner reportedly told police, adding that the pups sometimes went into the front yard to get baths and have their cages cleaned.
A witness reported seeing the five suspected burglars run from the back of the house with crates of puppies, worth $32,000 to $37,000. The group loaded the animals into cars and drove off, officers said.
As of early Feb. 15, the dogs hadn’t been found. An investigation continues, and no one has been arrested, police told McClatchy News in an email.
Woodward didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Feb. 15.
This story was originally published February 15, 2024 at 11:34 AM with the headline "Masked burglars break into home and steal French bulldogs worth $37,000, SC cops say."
