French bulldog puppy stolen at gunpoint reunited with its owner

Soumya Karlamangla
·1 min read
A French bulldog sits near an area on North Sierra Bonita Ave. where Lady Gaga's dog walker was shot and two of her French bulldogs stolen, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, in Los Angeles. The dog walker was shot once Wednesday night and is expected to survive his injuries. The man was walking three of Lady Gaga's dogs at the time but one escaped. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
A French bulldog sits at North Sierra Bonita Avenue in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

It took a car chase and the help of drones, but a French bulldog puppy has been reunited with its owner after Culver City police apprehended the man suspected of stealing the animal, authorities said Sunday.

Officials say the suspect responded to an online advertisement listing the 10-month-old gray dog for sale. When the man met with the puppy's owner on Wednesday evening in Culver City, he pulled a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband, grabbed the dog and ran away, officials say.

Over the next few days, Culver City police detectives were able to narrow down a suspect, they said. No further details were provided about how they identified the man.

On Saturday morning, officers watched the suspect leave a home in Culver City, holding a gray French bulldog, and drive away.

Police tried to stop the car, "and a short vehicle pursuit ensued," officials said in a statement.

The chase ended when the suspect crashed into another car near Bristol Parkway and Slauson Avenue. No one was injured.

The suspect ran away and police employed drones and other surveillance techniques to find him. Around 2:45 p.m., officers found the man and arrested him.

The puppy was unharmed.

The incident comes three months after Lady Gaga's dog walker was shot in the chest and two of her three French bulldogs were stolen. The dogs were eventually returned to the musician.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.