Armed Robbers Nab Pup From Mother And Daughter In Castro Valley

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — A gang of robbers held up a mother and daughter walking their French bulldog in Castro Valley at gunpoint Saturday evening, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help identifying the suspects.

The armed robbery is the latest in a string of dognappings targeting French bulldogs across the state. According to investigators, the robbers snatched the victim’s purse and keys, sneaking back to her house in the night and stealing her car.

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But it’s the stolen dog the family is worried about, and authorities appealed to the robbers to do the right thing and return him.

“The family just wants him back,” the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office tweeted. “We are hoping the robbers will do the right thing and drop him off at a safe location where he can be found and reunited with his family.”

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The robbery occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Norbridge Road, according to Lt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

The mother and daughter were walking their dog Tito westbound on Norbridge when a black SUV, 2019 KIA Niro pulled up, and four to five suspects got out, Kelly said. Three were armed with handguns, a witness reported.

“One suspect snatched the victim’s purse, which contained her wallet along with her home and vehicle keys,” said Kelly. “Another suspect snatched “Tito” the French Bulldog from the daughter before all suspects fled back to the KIA and westbound on Norbridge Road.”

About four hours later at 9:45 p.m., the suspects returned to the victim’s Castro Valley home in the KIA and stole her vehicle from her driveway, according to investigators.

Deputies canvassed the area and retrieved video footage from locations in the area, Kelly said. The Oakland Police Department confirmed that the KIA driven by the robbers had been reported stolen and has been involved in several robberies with firearms.

The sheriff’s office did not immediately release a description nor surveillance footage of the suspects.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call the Alameda County Sheriff’s Offic.