By:Karenlyn Barone
According to police reports, and an interview with Marc Jacobs, the owner of Shake-A-Paw, a pet store on Atlantic Avenue in Lynbrook, a woman scooped up a dog from the store's playpen area, shoved him under her coat and walked out the door of the store last Friday at about 2:50 p.m. The woman is still at large, and the status of the puppy is unknown.
"A woman came into the store with a young girl, and they mingled for about 30 minutes," Jacobs recounted. "About half an hour later, employees noticed that a Chihuahua puppy was missing. They alerted me, and I immediately watched the surveillance tape."
Jacobs allowed the Herald to view the tape, which appears to show a woman in her mid- to late 30s, accompanied by a girl of 5 or 6 walking around the store. The pair spend some time looking at different puppies, with the woman often bending down to pet the dogs in their cages. At one point, the girl appears to be pulling the woman toward the exit, to no avail. The next few minutes of the tape appear to show the woman approaching one of the openplay pens where the dogs are kept and quickly lifting a small dog out of the pen and placing him inside her coat.
"When I reviewed the tape, I saw the woman ... scoop the puppy up and in literally two seconds, place him under her long, black jacket," said Jacobs. "I had nothing stolen all year, and then three hours before the year is over, this happens."
Jacbos immediately notified the Lynbrook Police Department, which in turn alerted the Nassau County Police Department's Fifth Squad.
The missing puppy is a pure-bred, black and white male Chihuahua, eight weeks old and weighing about a pound. According to Jacobs, the puppy would sell for $1,600.
Jacobs and the police are hoping that someone will recognize the woman and come forward, or perhaps she will turn herself in. "I am sick over this," said Shake-A-Paw employee Beverly Cunningham. "The puppy left the store without food, without vitamins, and he needs all that." Detective Fred Fusswinkel of the Lynbrook Police Department echoed Cunningham's concerns. "Theft of any kind is of great concern, especially criminal activity that involves potential injury to a person," he said. "In this case we are concerned for the safety, well-being and health of the dog." Jacobs explained that toy dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, require special care. "My concern is for the safety of the puppy," he said. "We can only hope that the dog-napper is giving the puppy the care and attention he needs."
Jacobs added that he is hopeful that the dog will be returned safely, and he has reason to be optimistic. All his puppies are fitted with permanent micro-chips for identification purposes. "I've contacted local veterinarians and shelters to alert them about the puppy," he said. "If he is brought in for treatment, a scanner will detect the micro-chip and identify him as the stolen dog."
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Lynbrook Police Department at (516) 599-3300. All calls will be kept confidential.
Comments about this story? KBarone@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.
