A strange turn of events helped police in Long Beach reunite a stolen car -and a stolen poodle- with their owner, authorities said.
Just before 6 p.m. Saturday, officers saw several people pushing a vehicle in the area of 10th Street and Walnut Ave.
“Officers quickly determined that the vehicle had been stolen the previous day from a parking lot near the 1000 block of Pacific Coast Highway,” Long Beach Police said in a statement.
A poodle that was inside the car when it was stolen, however, was nowhere to be found.
Investigators learned that the people who were pushing the vehicle were not involved in the theft, but the person who was, according to police, was not far away.
“Officers went to (a) residence and contacted a female adult suspect in possession of the stolen dog and took her into custody,” police said.
Chantal Thompson, 33, of Long Beach was arrested for one count of grand theft auto and one count of grand theft of money, labor, or property. Bail was set at $35,000.
Officers contacted the victim and reunited him with his dog and vehicle.
