Fort Lauderdale police search for suspect that stole luxury car with dog inside after the dog was safely recovered

Fort Lauderdale police are searching for a suspect after a 2024 Bentley Continental was stolen with a 6-month-old black poodle mix named Coco inside on Monday afternoon. The puppy was safely returned to its owner the following morning.

The theft occurred in a residential neighborhood. Police said the stolen car was left unlocked in a driveway with the key fob inside while the owner was talking with a friend nearby. Surveillance video from a nearby home showed a black car driving past before a person ran up to the unlocked vehicle and drove away.

The suspects later left the puppy behind. The dog was found nearby and returned to the owner the next morning, according to the victim's family.

"We do believe that this was a miracle," said Becky Irvine, the owner's daughter. "The fact that this car was taken so quickly and then [Coco] recovered just a street over, everything fell into place so that we could be reunited with her again."

Irvine said the puppy was taken to a local veterinary clinic and was given a clean bill of health, though she added that Coco appears shaken following the incident.

Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. Patrick O'Brien used the incident to issue a warning to residents about car safety. "It was a dog today. It could be a gun tomorrow. It could be your child," O'Brien said. "You know you always have to remember to take everything out of your vehicle."

Police urged residents not to leave vehicles unlocked or valuables inside when walking away, even for a short time, and said the investigation into the theft is ongoing.