Southeast DC

18-year-old accused of stealing puppy off boat in Navy Yard

A family was heartbroken when they sailed to D.C.’s Navy Yard area on Oct. 11 to have dinner, moored their boat and returned to find their new puppy was gone

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An 18-year-old accused of stealing a family’s puppy off a boat docked in Navy Yard was arrested Thursday, authorities say.

Dante Eley, of Southeast, was arrested and charged with second-degree theft and property destruction.

A family was heartbroken when they sailed from Prince George's County to D.C.’s Navy Yard area on Oct. 11 to have dinner, moored their boat and returned to find someone broke into their boat and their new puppy, Pepper, was gone.

They were reunited with the 3-month-old, black Cane Corso after someone bought the dog after seeing an online ad and then learned the puppy had been stolen.

D.C. police did not immediately release information on what led them to Eley. A $1,000 reward was offered to tipsters with information leading to an arrest and indictment.

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