A longhair Chihuahua worth $2,500 was snatched from a Shakopee pet store Monday morning by a man who carried the 9-month-old pup like a football and fled in a waiting car, the shop's owner said.

There is much for authorities to go on, including video surveillance from Petland Shakopee of the man with the puppy, a tracking microchip in the dog and a description of the vehicle — license plate included — that took him away, said store owner Heather Latko.

Latko said she saw the man carry out the male tri-color puppy "like it was a football" in his right arm and flee the store, located near the Wal-Mart south of Hwy. 169.

She said the puppy couldn't have weighed more than 2 to 3 pounds.

"It is very important that this puppy is found and returned safely to the store," said a lost pet alert distributed by Helpmefindmypet.com. "He is young and requires special medication."

The video shows the man entering a roofless puppy room and an employee bringing him the dog to hold and get to know.

., Star Tribune
A surveillance camera image of the suspect who allegedly stole a puppy from a Shakopee pet store.

Barely a minute later, the man took the puppy out the store's front door, an employee racing after him.

Witnesses saw him get into a late-1990s Volkswagen Passat with an accomplice behind the wheel. The dark-blue car had Minnesota license plates 768BDA.

Police were working on the case Monday afternoon, said Sgt. Tom Crocker, who had no further information on what he described as a felony.

The thief is described as white, 25 to 30 years old, about 6 feet tall, with a slender build. He was wearing a gray knitted winter cap, a dark coat and blue jeans.

Latko said it's the third such pet-napping at her shop in the past five years. The previous thefts ended with the pets (a cat and a dog) recovered unharmed.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482