Kirkland Police Return Stolen French Bulldogs to Family
Published on April 12, 2024
Case/Incident #24-11190
Media Contact: Officer Tiffany Trombley
Kirkland Police Department
Email: ttrombley@kirklandwa.gov
425-587-3427
It was a happy ending for Socks, Fancy, and Jon Poul, three French Bulldogs who were stolen last Friday, along with their owner’s van, from a gas station parking lot in Kirkland. They were reunited with their family yesterday evening, Thursday April 11, 2024.
The dogs’ harrowing tale began on Friday, April 5, 2024, just after 8:30 p.m., when Kirkland Police Department (KPD) patrol officers responded to the Arco Gas Station located at 11600 124th Avenue to the report of a stolen van.
At the scene, officers learned that the owner of the van had parked directly in front of the gas station doors. He had left the van running and unlocked with the idea he would only be away from the van for a moment. However, by the time he exited the store, his van had been stolen. He explained to officers that his three French Bulldogs were in the van and that two of the dogs recently underwent surgery and required medications for recovery.
As part of the investigation, officers flagged the vehicle as stolen and broadcasted this information to neighboring agencies. Just two days later, on Sunday, April 7, the stolen van was found in Bellevue, WA, by officers with the Bellevue Police Department (BPD). Unfortunately, BPD officers did not find any of the dogs in the vehicle.
The next day, KPD investigators received and investigated a tip about the location of the stolen dogs and that someone was attempting to sell the dogs. Then on Tuesday, April 9, KPD patrol officers investigating an unrelated case were given another tip about the stolen dogs.
The tips and follow-up investigations culminated on this past Thursday, April 11, when KPD investigators located all three dogs! Socks, Fancy and Jon Poul appeared healthy and happy and were reunited with their family.
KPD would like to thank the community members for their tips, Bellevue PD, and the King County Sherriff’s Department for their assistance in this case.