A dog owner was reunited with his beloved German shepherd Friday after the canine was taken along with the victim’s vehicle on Thursday by a suspect in Carson.
The victim had left the dog in his vehicle when he went to check on his family at a Carson restaurant and when he returned both were gone, according to Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris.
On Thursday afternoon, a resident reported suspicious activity in the 2900 block of Carson Street, where officers arrived and found 22-year-old Erik Ruiz Serratos of Santa Fe Springs inside a parked vehicle, Harris said.
“The preliminary investigation revealed the vehicle had been stolen in the city of Carson the day prior,” Harris said, adding that Serratos was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto.
Detectives contacted the victim, who was grateful that his vehicle was recovered but distraught that the family dog was not located, Harris said.
“With this new information, investigators then interviewed Serratos and discovered the victim’s dog had been left in a transient camp in the area of Main Street and Sepulveda Boulevard near the railroad tracks,” Harris said. “Investigators searched until they located the victim’s dog, a 5-year-old German shepherd named Holly.”
–City News Service