Outside Houston, two brothers hid from two masked men as they forced their way into their apartment to allegedly steal five French bulldog puppies.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of November 28 at the Trails at Corinthian Creek apartment community on Jones Road in the small city of Jersey Village.
Camryn, 12 years old, told ABC 13 that he had to act quickly once he heard the men breaking in. He took his younger brother and hid in the closet — the closest and safest spot he could think of.
He phoned his mother, Laquitha Lewis, and told her that two masked men had entered the home. Then he called the police.
The brothers stayed in the closet until the police arrived, although the two masked men were long gone. Security camera footage shows that the suspects were only on the scene for three minutes before driving away in a black Dodge Charger with the family’s five puppies.
Jersey Village police officers explained that the vehicle had dark-tinted windows, black rims, and a fake license plate.
At six weeks old, the French bulldog pups may be worth as much as $5,000 each — although some varieties of this breed may fetch as much as $30,000.
The popularity of the breed and the high prices people are willing to pay to have one of their own has made it a recent target of thieves.
Even celebrity singer and actress Lady Gaga fell victim to this sad trend in 2021 when her two French bulldogs were stolen while with her dog walker, who was violently assaulted and shot.
However, just how often French bulldogs — or those of any other breed — are stolen nationwide is unknown since some local law enforcement agencies do not keep a running count of these particular crimes.
In any case, as The New York Times reported, the perceived boost in the theft of French bulldogs has prompted some owners to carry pepper spray or even guns to prevent it.
Jaymar Del Rosario, a French bulldog breeder in Los Angeles, explained that he is often armed when meeting a potential buyer, explaining, “If I don’t know the area, if I don’t know the people, I always carry my handgun.”
He also refuses to let his daughters walk the dogs alone, saying, “I don’t care if you’re going to the mailbox.”
Indeed, in late April, Cristina Rodriguez of Los Angeles had just pulled into her own driveway when someone opened her car door and stole her two-year-old French bulldog. Video footage showed that the suspects had followed her for 45 minutes from work to her home.
She does not recall much of the event, explaining, “When you have a gun at your head, you kind of just black out.”
The inside of the home may also be vulnerable to such incidents, as the latest home invasion in Jersey Village suggests.
“My kids have made a bond with them. They named them. They are hurt,” Lewis said, expressing hope for the puppies’ safe return. She added a warning to any potential buyers that getting stolen, unregistered French bulldogs will only “come back to bite you.”
Local authorities urge anyone with information on this case to call 713-466-2115 or contact Detective Taylor at [email protected].
Advice on how to deter thefts of this nature can be found here.