South Bay Resident's Puppy Returned After Theft In San Francisco

LOS GATOS, CA — A 4-month-old puppy is home safe in the South Bay after he was stolen last week in San Francisco, according to police.

Scruggs, a Maltese puppy, was taken from the car of a 23-year-old Los Gatos resident who had parked on Sutter Street in San Francisco. When he returned after about 30 minutes, Scruggs was gone.

A Richmond resident turned in Scruggs on Saturday after they purchased him in the Tenderloin District but later learned that he was stolen. Scruggs was shortly reunited with his owners.

The suspect, identified by San Francisco police as 43-year-old Viengphet Sasone, was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of second-degree auto burglary, possession of burglar tools and a probation violation, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. But the Chronicle reported that Sasone refused tell investigators where he left the puppy.

In a statement, the SFPD said that interest from the public and news media helped solve the case. Scruggs is "happy to be back with his family," police said.