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French bulldog puppy stolen from Westminster yard returned

French bulldog puppy returned to owner 00:34

A French bulldog is back home safe after being dognapped and away from his frantic owner for two days.

Darlene Burton was desperate to have her 11-month-old puppy Brioche returned after he was taken from her front yard Monday. She says she had just come home from work that evening and let the puppy out into the yard to do his business as she got his water bowl ready.

But when she stopped hearing Brioche's characteristic shuffle behind the white picket fence, she knew instantly something was wrong.

"I was in panic mode," she said.

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Darlene Burton)

After a frantic search, Burton checked her home's motion-sensor camera footage. The video showed her a man with two backpacks reaching over the fence, grabbing Brioche and putting him in one of the backpacks, and nonchalantly walking away.

"Easily picked him up, and stuffed him in his bag," Burton said.

It's been two days since Brioche was dognapped, and Burton says she has been wracked with worry and sadness since. She says she has been thinking constantly about how he's eating and being treated.

Burton says she has filed a police report, but she said she was also willing to pay $5,000 of her savings for her sweet Brioche's return, no questions asked. 

Luckily, after the reward was announced, Burton was reunited with Brioche in a supermarket parking lot. 

The French bulldog was found after a transient tried to sell him for $200. A good Samaritan found him and returned him to Burton. 

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