Dog Groomer Transportation Van Found After Being Stolen With 3 Dogs Inside In Lakeview

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A dog grooming business reported its transportation van was located late Thursday after being stolen with three dogs inside.

Police said at 4:50 p.m., a man parked a white van with three dogs inside in an alley near Southport Avenue and Addison Street.

The three dogs – a black and white great Dane, a brown short-haired pointer, and a black short-haired pointer – were all in the van, police said. The dogs' names are Keith, Pappy, and Stella.

The driver left the keys in the ignition with the doors locked and left the van unattended, police said. When he returned, he saw some people had stolen the van and were driving it away, police said.

The van belongs to Dogaholics Dog Daycare, Boarding & Grooming, 3608 N. Southport Ave.

Numerous tweets and social media reports have been circulating through the afternoon and evening claiming the van was carjacked. But police said it was actually stolen while left running unattended, and Dogaholics later clarified that the van was stolen rather than carjacked.

"We apologize for stating that it was a 'carjacking' the van and dogs were stolen," Dogaholics wrote in an updated Facebook post.

Late Thursday night, Dogaholics reported the van had been found with the three dogs inside. They did not specify where the van was found.

The dog grooming business said they were working with Chicago Police to get the dogs returned to their owners.

In:
• Addison Street
• Lakeview