Police arrest masked man in Betty Boop shirt who stole puppy from McKinney pet store
Police have arrested a man who wore a mask and a Betty Boop T-shirt when he stole a 10-week-old puppy from a North Texas pet store.
According to McKinney police, the suspect, identified as 28-year-old Louis Anthony Pena, entered Petland McKinney, located at 3190 S. Central Expressway, around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Pena has been charged with theft, according to the McKinney Police Department.
After releasing surveillance footage and images, Pena was apprehended within hours.
Suspect briefly lowers mask
Greeted by a staff member and acknowledging them with a wave, the suspect briefly pulled down the mask covering half his face to speak, police said. He was described as a tall, thin Black man wearing glasses, a green baseball cap, dark pants and the dark T-shirt.
Puppy taken from playroom
The suspect asked to see a 10-week-old black and tan German shepherd puppy and entered a playroom alone while an employee retrieved the dog.
"The man began acting as if he was filling out a credit application, and within five minutes, he picked up the puppy and rushed to the door," police said.
Surveillance video shows an employee near the front of the store asking for the puppy. The suspect refused and ran once outside. The employee chased him briefly but lost sight of him near a nearby housing development.
Photo shows suspect with puppy
"A passerby later took a photo of the suspect holding the puppy while he was spotted waiting to cross a street in the shopping area," police said. "The photo shows the man's full face and the size of the puppy."
The puppy, which is microchipped, was immediately reported stolen.
