Police ask for public’s help finding French bulldog stolen from Wilmington owner’s yard

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a French bulldog that was stolen from the front yard of a home in Wilmington this week.

The dog, King, was taken from the yard in the 700 block of C Street on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a release. Upon realizing the dog was missing, his owner checked her home security video, which showed a man reach over the fence, pick King up and flee on a skateboard, police said.

Detectives arrested the man less than 24 hours later, but he told them he’d already sold King for $20, according to investigators. The man said he had approached someone in the parking lot of a hardware store and told them he’d found the dog but was unable to give him a good home, police said.

King had not been located as of Saturday afternoon, said Los Angeles police spokesman Matthew Cruz.

Authorities said the person who bought the dog did not commit a crime, but was urged to come forward and return it as the pet’s owner is devastated.

“Just seeing his kennel, his bed … and even waking up this morning and he wasn’t there,� the owner, Jody Martinez, told KCBS-TV, which posted video of the theft. Martinez said she helped breed the 1-year-old dog and had had him since he was a puppy. She said she had her front door open just a crack and King got out for a brief moment before she realized it.

“Just drop him back off,� she pleaded.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD Officer Davenport at (310) 726-7845 during business hours or the LAPD Harbor Station at (310) 726-7701 any time.

Reports of French bulldog thefts have been on the rise in the Los Angeles area in recent years. The popular pets are expensive and in high demand.

In one high-profile case last February, 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. The dog walker survived, though his accused assailant was mistakenly released from custody earlier this month.