ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (TCN) — Three people have been apprehended after a man faked a seizure at a pet store in order to distract employees while other suspects stole two English bulldog puppies and fled.
According to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, on Feb. 23 at 1:30 p.m., three men walked into the Perfect Pets store several minutes apart and approached an employee about two bulldog puppies for sale at $4,299 each. The bulldogs were reportedly being held in a pen at the back of the store, and during the conversation, one of the suspects pretended to have a seizure. A second suspect reportedly ran to the pen, picked up the puppies, and attempted to flee. A store employee reportedly tackled the suspect with the dogs, causing him to drop the puppies.
The man picked up the bulldogs and left. Surveillance footage reportedly showed the suspects getting into a gold Cadillac Escalade.
Arapahoe County deputies arrested 37-year-old Timothy Davis at the store after he faked the seizure. He was taken into custody for conspiracy to commit a felony, theft, and drug possession. The sheriff’s office said they were continuing to search for the other male suspects and the puppies.
On Feb. 24, a woman reached out to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office and said the bulldog puppy she purchased from a street vendor in Denver matched the one from a news story about the theft. She returned the dog to Perfect Pets and received a reward.
The sheriff’s office announced a major update in the case on March 6, saying investigators arrested 32-year-old Jonathan Muniz on Feb. 28 at a home in Denver. The sheriff’s office alleges he is the suspect who nabbed the dogs was was tackled by the other employee. He was booked on charges of robbery, theft, conspiracy to commit theft, third-degree assault, violation of a protection order, and two counts of cruelty to animals. The alleged getaway car owner, Porfiria Tacorante, turned herself in to authorities after a warrant was issued for theft and conspiracy to commit theft.
The sheriff’s office said the second puppy has not yet been found.
