NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - A $12,000 reward was being offered today by a family for the safe return of its 5-month-old French bulldog puppy that was stolen at gunpoint in the parking lot of a North Hollywood Target store.
The 5-month-old puppy, named Seven, was stolen Saturday after two men inside the store saw 8-year-old Elani Valencia, along with her mother Jasmin and her uncle, enter with the dog, police said.
The men allegedly followed the uncle to the family's car after he left the store with Seven while Elani and Jasmin were checking out, CBS reported.
Elani's uncle tried to put Seven in the car to keep the dog safe, but one of the men allegedly pulled out a gun and grabbed Seven before both men fled the area, Jasmin told CBS2.
“It just brought a lot of pain to me and it really hurt me,'' said Elani, who got the puppy as a Christmas gift from her mother.
The Valencia family is offering a $12,000 reward for the safe return of Seven. Anyone who has the dog or any information of his whereabouts can call the Los Angeles Police Department North Hollywood Division at 818-623-4016.
The LAPD has seen an uptick in the theft of French bulldogs, which are the most popular breed of dog in Los Angeles, according to the American Kennel Club.
Last month, two of Lady Gaga's three French bulldogs were stolen in Hollywood after two men shot her longtime dog walker. The pets were later returned by a woman who said she had found them
Earlier this month, Redondo Beach police arrested a man and woman suspected of grabbing an 8-week-old French bulldog from his owner and speeding off in a Mercedes-Benz. The dog was recovered unharmed.
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