Thieves fake seizure to steal puppies in Colorado: Watch video
Police are now asking the public for information on the three suspects.
A trio of suspects allegedly had one of them fake a seizure to distract employees as they stole puppies from a Colorado pet store, police say.
Two bulldog puppies were stolen on Sunday from Perfect Pets in Centennial, Colorado, 15.5 miles southeast of Denver, Colorado, according to a statement from the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. One of the puppies stolen has now been found and returned to the store Monday night but one is still missing.
Three men are suspected of stealing them after they entered the store, police said. One of the men fell to the floor and allegedly pretended to have a seizure while another snatched the dogs out of their pen and ran away.
Watch thieves act out plan with fake seizure to steal puppies
How was the stolen puppy found?
The good Samaritan who found the puppy "immediately called the store when she recognized her puppy matched the photos in the story," police said.
She purchased it from a street vendor in Denver for $1,500, according to police. The store priced each of the bulldog puppies at $4,299 each.
"Perfect Pets is grateful for being reunited with the dog and plans to give her a reward," police said in a statement.
How was the plan carried out?
In a video posted by police, the man accused of faking a seizure is seen twitching on the floor while three female employees try to help him, and two children watch by the store's door.
While employees tried to aid the man on the floor, the other man went to the pen that held the bulldogs, unlatched it and grabbed two puppies.
"Hey, what are you doing?" one of the employees asks him before he bolts for the door.
As he runs, two employees are seen chasing him to stop him from leaving while screaming at him to stop.
One of the employees falls on the floor in front of him, and he seems to trip over her. He drops the puppies, who slide across the floor toward the entrance of the store, before he falls down.
One of the employees is heard screaming, "Stop!" as the man gets on his feet, grabs the puppies by the scruff of the neck and runs out the door.
Police look for suspects
The men responsible for the theft entered the store a few minutes apart, according to police. They walked around the store, asked employees questions and asked about the bulldog puppies.
One suspect is accused of faking a seizure as a distraction, while one other man grabbed the puppies, but police do not state what the third suspect was doing amid the chaos.
Police ask anyone with information to call their Investigations Tipline at 720-874-8477. People can report information anonymously.
Julia is a trending reporter for Paste BN. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com