Dog owner says his French bulldog was stolen, being held for ransom in Woodbridge
WOODBRIDGE, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police are investigating the apparent theft of a French bulldog named Enzo that is being held for ransom.
It happened at an apartment complex last Friday, May 5, in Woodbridge.
Owner Xavier Burgos told police he met one of the suspects through a mutual friend and the suspect had even been to his home a few times long before he decided to buy a dog.
Burgos said the suspect wanted to have a playdate since he already had three French bulldogs. They decided on a playdate for the dogs at Sewaren Dog Park.
One suspect had a dog but the other told Burgos the other two dogs were still at home.
Burgos said the suspects had him follow them to an apartment complex to pick up the other dogs -- but it was all a trick.
"When we get there, they take their dog out, I take my dog out, they start playing again in the parking lot," Burgos said. "I turned around and go inside my car real quick to tell my girlfriend and as I'm doing that, they snatched my dog up, jumped in their car and sped off."
Burgos said 5-month-old Enzo is being held for ransom and he was even sent threatening text messages.
"He asked me for $8,000 or he threatened to kill my dog or ship my dog off to Virginia," Burgos said.
Police are investigating and say the family of the person claiming to have Enzo is cooperating fully with their investigation, but the suspect won't answer his phone and has not been home.
Burgos is flooding social media with the story in hopes it will help get his dog back. He said the car the suspects were driving was a Nissan SUV -- a Rogue or Murano.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Woodbridge police.
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