SPOKANE, Wash – A stolen puppy is now back where she belongs at Northwest Seed & Pet in east Spokane, after a teenage thief turned himself in.
Asst. Manager Judith Feeley tells KHQ the suspect saw himself on TV in surveillance video, and felt guilty.
He called police, who then returned the puppy to the store.
"I don't know why they do it, why they think they can get away with it, especially when we have signs everywhere saying we have cameras," Feeley added.
Employees caught a teenage boy and girl on surveillance camera stealing the puppy. They say the teenage boy is seen reaching into an open pen, and grabbing an 8-week-old Chihuahua. The pair then walks out, with the girl clutching her purse.
Moments later, an employee realized the $350 pup was missing, and scoured the surveillance video for the suspects.
18-year-old Roman Abdukarimov was cited and released with misdemeanor theft after turning himself in, but the 16-year-old girl he was caught on camera with has not been charged yet.
Store employees are hoping she'll turn herself in, too.
To keep thefts like this from happening again, the store will move smaller animals inside crates, where they are protected.
"Unfortunately, up there, customers can't handle them and hug on ‘em and bond with them," Feeley said.
As for the 8-week-old Chihuahua, she never had a name before, but now one may have found her.
"Lost and found, LNF!" Feeley said smiling, reaching into the crate to pet her.
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