New Canaan Police on Monday arrested a Connecticut teenager in connection with the widely publicized theft earlier this year of an SUV with a dog inside.
The 19-year-old New Britain man was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle—a misdemeanor-level crime in case of a first offense—and conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle, according to a police report.
He was taken into custody at 9:30 p.m. on June 9 at the Darien Police Department, the report said. It wasn’t clear how the arrested man came into custody of Darien Police.
New Canaan and surrounding communities were struck by the brazen daytime theft in February. According to police, a Range Rover was left running with a 2-year-old French bulldog inside around midday that Sunday from Main Street near East Avenue. (Note: The owner of the vehicle and dog has contacted this news outlet to dispute the police department’s account.)
Police gave chase but the speeding Range Rover got away after getting onto the Merritt Parkway northbound at Exit 38.
Ultimately the dog, named Poppy, was reunited with her owner. It wasn’t clear just how the reunion came about. The dog’s owner had offered a generous reward for Poppy’s safe return.