Thief snatches $2,500 puppy from Shakopee pet store

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.

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

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