Dognapping In Maplewood: Thieves Assaulted Woman, Stole Her Bulldog, Police Say

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A woman's English bulldog was stolen Wednesday night by two men who punched her while she was walking the pet, police said.

Police said that around 8:40 p.m., they got a call from a 37-year-old woman saying she was walking her English micro bulldog on Boyden Avenue when a black four-door sedan pulled up in the area of Jacoby Street.

She told police that two men got out of the car and punched her several times, causing her to fall to the ground. Then, they took her dog into the car and fled on Boyden Avenue toward Stuyvesant Avenue.

According to police, the men were described as "a black male approximately 5'7 in height late 20s, wearing a light blue hoodie. The second male was a black male approximately 5'7 in height wearing a white t-shirt and black sweatpants. Both males had close cut haircuts."

The woman had swelling and cuts on her face but declined medical attention.

Thefts of small bulldogs, some of them violent, have gotten media attention recently, particularly after Lady Gaga's French bulldogs were stolen. The dogs are popular in small living spaces because of their stature.

The robbery Wednesday night came on the heels of two armed robberies in Maplewood in the last two weeks as people were walking outside (see links below).

Anyone with information or video of the suspects should contact Detective Rella at 973-761-7926 or email nrella@MAPLEWOODNJ.GOV or DLT.M Palmerezzi mpalmerezzi@maplewoodnj.org

Previous Maplewood Robbery Stories

• Man Robbed At Gunpoint In Maplewood On Halloween
  
• Woman Robbed At Gunpoint While Walking In Maplewood