A service dog that was inside a car when it was stolen in Downey over the weekend has been found safe in Anaheim, her Army veteran owner told KTLA Tuesday.
Apolonio Muñoz wrote on Facebook that his “sweet and loving” pit bull mix, Marcee, was inside his Honda Civic at an Arco station at 10808 Lakewood Blvd. when the car was stolen Saturday.
Police on Tuesday said that Muñoz left his car doors unlocked and and the engine running while he went into a store. When he returned about 5 minutes later, the car and the dog were gone.
Muñoz wrote on Facebook that Marcee has allergies, is on a special diet and has separation anxiety.
He added that he hasn’t been apart from his dog for very long since he adopted her nearly two years ago and that she was being trained to be his service dog. Muñoz said he has post traumatic stress disorder.
Muñoz’s tracked his car with his cellphone, which was also in his stolen car, to the corner of Rosecrans Avenue and Studebaker Road in Norwalk, but then lost track of it.
“I truly don’t care much about not having the car, I’m worried sick about Marcee. I just want her returned home safely,” Muñoz wrote on Facebook.
Marcee was found at a park in Anaheim Tuesday afternoon and was eventually returned to Muñoz, he told KTLA. It is unclear where the dog was over the weekend.
The car was eventually found by police in Norwalk, but the person who stole it has not been found, police said. The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information can call Detective Nathan Weinrich at 562-904-2332.
In an updated Facebook post, Muñoz wrote that he was grateful to everyone that helped bring Marcee home.
“Now that’s she’s home life can start to normalize and hopefully soon my car will also be found,” Muñoz wrote.
