TULSA - A Tulsa family is searching for answers after a manstole their car, which ultimately led to the death of their dog.
Police were called to a QuikTrip convenience store at the intersection of East 31st Street and U.S. Highway 169 on a call of an auto theft at about 1:30 a.m. on August 18.
The owner told 2 Works for You he was airing up the tires on his newly purchased 2013 Hyundai Elantra when a tall, thin, black male climbed in to the front seat and drove away. His dog of nearly 10 years, Baxter, was in the back seat.
Shortly after 2 Works for You aired the story about Baxterand the stolen Hyundai, a viewer who had rescued the Shih Tzu/King Charles Spaniel mix contacted the family. The family wishes to remain anonymous to ensure their safety.
"They found him,"a family member wrote on August 19. "A lady who had seen the video on the Channel 2 News last night saw it."
The family member said Baxter sustained puncture wounds around his neck and was taken to an animal hospital. He succumbed to his wounds on August 20, said the family member.
Police released surveillance images from the QuikTrip store on September 2.
One shot shows a man in an orange T-shirt inside the store at 1:20 a.m. on August 18. The other shows a man in an orange T-shirt crouched near the driver's door of a dark blue 2013 Hyundai Elantra parked near an air compression unit at 1:22 a.m.
Tulsa Police Corporal Dan Miller said investigators have not received any tips since releasing the photos.
Tulsa Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards up to $1,500 for information that results in the arrest of suspects in felony cases. People can submit tips anonymously onlineor call (918) 596-COPS (2677).
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