Three dogs were stolen at gunpoint on East Capitol Street in D.C. early Tuesday, and the search for the dogs and the three dognappers is ongoing, authorities said.
A man was walking the French bulldogs in the 5200 block of East Capitol Street SE at about 4 a.m. when he was approached by three people, police said. They showed guns and robbed the victim of his dogs.
“He had just, like, a big rifle type of gun, like not a shotgun, but something, like, automatic,” said the owner, who does not want to be identified. “Then I looked to his left and his right, and there’s two more individuals with facemasks, holding, like, smaller handguns. You know, it kind of caught me off guard. I didn’t really know what they wanted. I thought, you know, maybe they may have wanted my cellphone or my wallet.”
As the owner tried to walk away, he tripped, allowing the thieves to grab his dogs and run away.
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The dogs are Chewy, a female with brown fur who is about 18 pounds; Coco, a female with white fur who is about 30 pounds; and Buttercup, a female with brown fur and spots who is about 25 pounds.
The owner said he's had all three since they were puppies, and they can be expensive — as much as $30,000 or $40,000.
“The fluffy French bulldog, right now, if you look on Google, you’ll see them for, like, crazy prices,” he said.
He said another of his dogs was stolen in April.
“You don’t really think it’s going to happen to you, and for me, It’s like I love Frenchies, like the Frenchie I just got, I’ve been waiting for that Frenchie for three years,” he said. “Like, I really wanted that dog more than I pretty much wanted anything else on this earth.”
He said he's considering leaving D.C.
“This kind of was like the final straw to the final straw,” he said. “So, we’re going to move. Our lease ends.”
Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. A reward of up to $10,000 is offered.
“Next 12, 14, 16 years of their life, I was going to rock out with them, and l love my dogs and I just, like, really want them to be in like a safe, good area,” he said. “I spend a lot of time with my dogs.”
Similar dognappings have happened this year in Fort Totten and on 14th Street NW, in which the owner chased down a bus to rescue her dog.
Robberies are up in D.C. by 67%, crime statistics show.
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