A Cleveland man has been charged with felony theft after allegedly stealing a pet French bulldog that had escaped its owner’s yard, then attempting to claim a $2,500 reward for its return.
LaShawn Cortez Burt, 33, is facing charges following the incident, according to Parma police.
The situation unfolded Saturday evening when two French bulldogs escaped from a fenced yard around 6:19 p.m. The owner, desperate to retrieve his pets, posted photos of the dogs on social media, offering a reward for their safe return.
A Parma resident spotted the dogs on West 54th Street and managed to catch one, but the second dog managed to flee. The resident observed a male driver in another vehicle pick up the dog, briefly speaking to him before the man sped off.
Police tracked the car to an address in Cleveland Heights, but the vehicle was not at the location when officers arrived. A person at the home reportedly refused to cooperate with the investigation.
The dog’s owner initially offered a $1,000 reward, which he later increased to $2,000 in hopes of getting his dog back. On Sunday, the owner received a call from a woman claiming to have found the dog and asking to meet for the reward.
When the meeting took place, both a male and female arrived to return the dog. However, Parma police were also present, hidden from view. Authorities soon began to question the woman’s account of how she had found the dog, which appeared suspicious.
Both suspects were arrested, but the woman was later released without charges. Burt, however, remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Parma Municipal Court on Tuesday.
Fortunately, both dogs were safely returned to their owner and are reported to be in good health.
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