Stolen French bulldog from Oakland smash-and-grab reunited with owner
UPDATE
OAKLAND, Calif. - A French bulldog stolen in a smash-and-grab back in April was safely recovered and reunited with her owner.
Boba was stolen out of a Tesla parked in Oakland’s Jack London Square on April 28.
The incident was caught on video and showed someone dragging Boba away.
Boba’s owner, Tongyang Zheng, told KTVU someone dropped her off at a dog park in Antioch Sunday morning and never came back.
A woman at the park brought the dog to a vet and then realized Boba was missing after doing an internet search for lost dogs.
That woman then contacted Zheng.
Zheng told KTVU she is thankful for Boba's return and that Boba has been cuddling a lot. Boba's return was celebrated with a picnic at a park.
ORIGINAL STORY
Upsetting videos show the moment Boba, a 2-year-old French bulldog, was yanked from the broken window of a Tesla and dragged away during a smash-and-grab in Oakland’s Jack London Square.
Boba was taken Friday night around 8:15 p.m. at the intersection of Franklin and Third Streets.
"My dog was trying so hard to get away from him. But he was pulling so hard," said Tongyang Zheng, the dog’s owner.
Zheng said she parked briefly to grab a file at the law office where she works. The video shows she was gone for less than two minutes. When she came back, two windows of her Tesla were broken. Her purse was taken from the trunk and her dog, Boba, was no longer in the passenger seat.
Zheng is heartbroken, so regretful, and said she just wants her dog back.
"I wish I could have a time machine. I could just set it back for 10 minutes ago. Then I would never park my car there at Jack London Square. I would never leave my dog alone in the car. It’s all my fault actually," said Zheng.
In a video taken from one of the cameras mounted on her Tesla, you can see Zheng crossing the street right as the vehicle carrying Boba speeds past her.
Zheng said she called the Oakland Police Department and tried to file a report.
"I thought they could at least come to my car and check the surrounding area or get some evidence. But it seems to me they put in zero effort. So it makes me feel really unsafe," said Zheng.
Boba is just the latest Frenchie dog-napped in the Bay Area. In the past few years, KTVU has covered several incidents. Some have turned violent. Owners have attacked; some have been held up at gunpoint.
Thieves are known to target this breed because they can sell for thousands of dollars.
"It’s insane. It’s absurd. It’s too cold-blooded," said Zheng. "It’s horribly scary. Because they are not only pets. They are also the owner’s child and children."
Zheng is offering a reward for the safe return of her dog. The suspect vehicle appears to be a black Lexus IS 350.
KTVU contacted Oakland police. They were unable to find an incident report but said officers will investigate.
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