Castro Valley Puppy Stolen In Smash-And-Grab Robbery May Be On The Loose

CASTRO VALLEY (KPIX 5) -- A family in Castro Valley is putting up flyers in the hope someone has seen their puppy which was stolen out of a car during smash-and-grab robbery and may be on the loose or hiding nearby.

The year-and-a-half old Shih Tzu named "Rocky" was taken during the robbery on Friday night in a parking lot of the 580 Marketplace shopping center on East Castro Valley Blvd. Friday.

Glass from the car's broken window was still on the ground days later on Monday as Rocky's owner, Angie Maurer, and her sister, Aileen Pangilinan, were putting up flyers asking people to keep an eye out for the dog.

"He's 12 pounds, he is white, he has a mask, the coloring is reddish brown," said a Maurer. "He is our family ... that's all I can say ... and he is sick and needs medication and needs help."

Maurer's sister was dog sitting at the time and had pulled up to a pho restaurant to pick up an order. When she came back to the car, she found the window broken, her purse and Rocky missing.

"It took two minutes, said Pangilinan. "If I didn't call 911 I actually wanted to go after these two because I saw him get in his car."

Maurer and Pangilinan spent Monday in the rain putting up posters throughout town. The family says they have credible reports of potential Rocky sightings in parking lot where he was taken.

"He has a harness on him and he is dragging the leash behind him with a poop bag on the end," said Maurer.

The sisters say many community members have volunteered to look for Rocky, and they can't be more appreciative.

"What I was really worried about is he was going to get sold or be on some site we can't get a hold of," said Pangilinan.

They just want Rocky returned and home, no questions asked.

"If you have him, please, he is just our family," said Maurer. "He is our family."