Gunmen Dognap L.A. Family's 5 Puppies

**Star Man** · 03-02-07, 09:22 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Two men forced their way into a family's home at gunpoint and stole five dogs, including four purebred Yorkshire terrier puppies advertised for sale in a newspaper, police said Thursday.

A security camera caught the men, who posed as prospective buyers, arriving at the home in the city's Koreatown section around 10 p.m. Friday, police said. When a woman opened the door, one of the men pulled a gun and the two entered the home.

The suspects ordered the family to lie on the floor and placed the puppies and the family's grown Yorkshire terrier, Tan-ja, in a bag, police said. The men then fled in a silver car.

No one was injured during the robbery.

"It appears the suspects answered the ad, knowing the value of the puppies," police Lt. Paul Vernon said.

The puppies were valued at $2,500 each. Police said the victims were most concerned about the loss of the grown terrier, the family's pet for more than three years.

"This robbery is a good lesson to residents that soliciting buyers to one's home can be a risky practice," Vernon said.

Cheech · 03-02-07, 07:43 PM

Got to love LA

**Star Man** · 03-04-07, 09:53 AM

UPDATE:

Kidnapped Terriers Returned to Owners
Sunday, March 4, 2007

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Four purebred Yorkshire terriers stolen at gunpoint during a home invasion robbery more than a week ago were returned to their owners after a man turned himself in to police.

Three puppies, valued at $2,500 each, and a full-grown family pet named Tan-ja were reunited with their owners at the Wilshire Division police station Saturday night.

One puppy remained missing, police said.

Family members hugged and kissed the panting pups and left the police station with the dogs in their arms.

The animals were recovered after Ryan Betton, 19, of Los Angeles, surrendered to police Friday night, Detective Luis Corona said.

He was booked for investigation of residential robbery, police said.

A videotape of the robbery that aired on local television brought in many tips, including telephone calls that sent police to the home of Betton's father, Corona said.

"When the son came home, he confronted the son and that led to the son being brought in to the station to turn himself in," Corona said.

A second man was being sought.

The puppies had been advertised for sale in a newspaper and two men posing as buyers made an appointment to see them on Feb. 23. When a family member opened the door, one of the men pulled a gun. The men ordered the family of four to lie on the living room floor.

A home surveillance camera caught the scene as one man held a gun and the other chased after the puppies with a plastic garbage bag as they scampered around the room and underneath a coffee table.

He snatched one of the dogs from a woman's hands.

No one was injured.

Corona said before they were returned, the dogs were found in several places, including Long Beach.

Authorities believe the robbers didn't intend to sell the dogs but probably wanted to give them away as gifts, Corona said.

An LAPD official did not know if Betton had legal representation.

**lewisipso** · 03-04-07, 10:11 AM

Awww...isn't kindness grand. They went to all that trouble to commit numerous felonies and terrorize a family so that they could give the dogs away as gifts. How sweet.