Dogs reunited with owners after pet boarding van stolen in Lincoln Park outside grooming salon

Chicago police are still looking for the person who stole a van full of dogs off the street in Lincoln Park Tuesday morning.

The theft happened around 11 a.m. outside Animal Loves Pet Salon on N. Clybourn Avenue near the intersection with Greenview Avenue.

David Cox, owner of Markay's Castle of the Dogs in Tippecanoe, Indiana, was dropping off dogs at the salon when he said someone got into the van and drove away.

"So I pulled in, I unloaded the dogs' belongings, and before I could come back out, somebody got into my van and drove off," Cox said. "So in a matter of two, three minutes of pulling in, somebody drove off with my van."

Ingrid, a groomer at the salon, said she and other staffers saw the van pull away out the window.

"We're just working and we see someone drive off with the van. We're aware that there was dogs in there. It's really scary, you know?" she said.

"I got a text message saying that our dog has been kidnapped and I thought my husband was playing a very bad joke on me," said owner Monica Bain.

For hours, the owners of the dogs in the van had no idea where their beloved pets were.

"It was the worst three hors I've had in a very long time," Bain said. "So this is the best possible outcome. She's safe, everybody's safe, that's all that really matters"

Cox said one of his facility's clients was waiting for him and followed the van. His cell phone was also in the van at the time, which his wife and police were able to track to the 1500 block of West Homer Street, where the thieves ditched it.

Police later tracked the van down in an alley near Lakewood and Oakdale avenues in Lakeview. The thief wasn't there, but all the dogs were, as well as some stolen lawn equipment. Police said the thief or thieves also switched the van's Indiana license plates to ones from Illinois.

The dogs were reunited with their owners, who said the hours their beloved pets were missing were terrifying.

"I was very concerned that they would take the van, use it for another means and then get rid of the dogs," said owner katy Walker. "Very scary."

Jason Brett's dog, KJ, an 83-pound Siberian husky, was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, and the clock was ticking between the time the van was taken and his next dose of medicine.

"We're just happy that there was a happy ending and a wonderful period at the end of this bizarre sentence," Brett said.

The consensus among pet owners CBS News Chicago spoke to Tuesday was that each of these dogs will be getting a lot of treats and pets tonight, and everyone we spoke to said they plan to continue to use the same boarding service.

"I mean it's huge, because all I can do is say I'm sorry, and I am. It shouldn't have happened, and people trust us – my wife and I and our team – to take care of their dogs we're taking care of people's dogs during their best moments – vacations, family time, reunions – and worst moments – sickness, death – and the one thing we want to do is provide care for their dogs so they don't have to think about it," Cox said. "And then to happen, initially it's like, it puts into question, can we provide that stress-free care? And our clients are the best clients, and they say you still can."

Chicago police believe the thief ran from the scene. No one is currently in custody and an investigation is ongoing.

Tippecanoe, Indiana, where Markay's Castle of the Dogs is located is about 40 miles south of South Bend. It is not to be confused with Tippecanoe County, Indiana, where Lafayette and Purdue University are located.