For the second time in six weeks, a shoplifter has stolen a puppy from Ed's Pet World in Mitchell.
"I'm furious," said Anderson, who said a family of four staked out his shop's puppy pen around 2 p.m. Thursday and took the puppy when the pet shop's staff was distracted at the store, located at 206 N. Main St.
Anderson was in Sioux Falls when the theft occurred.
The 10-week-old puppy is a chi/weenie, a designer cross-breed that is a mix between a Chihuahua and a dachshund. The puppy had a price tag of $399, Anderson said.
"I'm offering a reward for the return of the puppy or information leading to the arrest of the people involved with the theft of this puppy," he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Anderson said shop's surveillance video clearly show a young female, either a girl or a young woman, lifting the dog from the puppy pen located by the front door of the shop.
She then concealed the dog under a garment she had on her arm and walked out of the store with the dog. Employees were notified and gave chase but the female and the puppy were gone.
"It's obvious they were waiting for the perfect time," Anderson said. "This was planned."
He said it was only the second puppy theft the shop has seen in 36 years of doing business on Main Street.
A cocker spaniel puppy was stolen from the same puppy pen on April 6, but it was immediately recovered, he said, and sold the next day.
Anyone with information on the theft should call Mitchell Police at 605-995-8400 or Anderson at 605-996-9747.
