PORT ANGELES — A puppy that was taken from an unlocked vehicle was found safe 29 hours later near the Port Angeles Safeway, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.
Paco the puppy was taken from a vehicle that was parked at the Port Angeles Walmart at 3411 E. Kolonels Way about 6:30 p.m. Friday.
The insulin-dependent lab mix was found in another vehicle near the Port Angeles Safeway at 110 E. Third St. about 11:44 p.m. Saturday and returned to its owner.
“The dog was in good health,” said Brian King, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office chief criminal deputy.
Destiny Manlove, 20, and Austin Mann, 21, each were arrested for allegedly taking the dog. They were found living in Manlove’s gold Saturn near the grocery store with the dog inside.
“They stated that they were concerned for the dog’s safety,” King said in a Monday interview.
“However, the investigating deputies looked at the temperature outside and the condition of the vehicle, and there was not a heat concern as far as the dog being in the vehicle.”
The vehicle’s windows were rolled up at the time the dog was taken, King said.
The temperature in Port Angeles was about 65 degrees, according to National Weather Service observations.
The dog’s owner had been inside the store for about 20 minutes when she returned to her vehicle and found Paco was missing, deputies said.
Deputy Mark Titterness recovered video surveillance from Walmart employees and developed probable cause for the arrest of Manlove and Mann.
“It’s another example of the cooperative law enforcement that exists between the Sheriff’s Office and the Port Angeles Police Department,” King said.
“I want to say it was five minutes after we had actually identified potential suspects that (PAPD) had located the vehicle and the suspects with the dog inside.”
Manlove and Mann were each booked into the Clallam County jail for investigation of second-degree vehicle prowl and taking, concealing, injuring or killing a pet, deputies said.
They were not listed on the jail roster as of 3 p.m. Monday. No charges were filed in Clallam County District Court.
Taking, concealing, injuring or killing a pet is a gross misdemeanor if the animal was purchased for less than $750, as Paco was, King said.
There was no relationship between the suspects and the dog’s owner, King said.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
