Stolen Pico Rivera Bulldog Puppies Safely Recovered, Suspects Arrested

The man was caught on camera as he held up a Pico Rivera pet store on Christmas Eve.

Two Bulldog puppies stolen at gunpoint from a Pico Rivera pet shop on Christmas Eve have been safely recovered.

The pooches were pinched when a man walked into Mr. Bulldog on Whittier Boulevard wearing a bandana around his face and brandishing a handgun.

However the Bulldogs have now been found and suspects arrested, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Departments said.

One of the pups was found by a West Whittier resident on Christmas Day wandering in the street near her residence.  The second was returned to Mr. Bulldog store by an unidentified person the following day.

Sheriff's deputies arrested a juvinile suspect on Christmas night, while the next day they apprehended a second suspect Jonathan Mora, 18, who is alleged to have dropped off the robber from a grey BMW in a shopping center parking lot before the crime took place. Additional warrants led to the arrest of a third suspect, a female-juvenile from West Whittier.

Shop employee Miriam Guillen had previously revealed the robber demanded the dog after being given $500 in cash during the hold-up..

"After he took the money he said ‘Give me a dog. I want a bulldog — two,’" Guillen said.

Owner Jay Lee was forced to hand over two 10-week-old English bulldogs. Lee’s dog Blue is the puppies’ dad, and the robber threatened to shoot the 2-year-old when he began growling at the man.Each dog was estimated to be worth $2,500.

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