TULSA - A firefighter's dog is fine after the man's vehicle was stolen Friday in Tulsa with the dog in the back seat.
The firefighter said he warmed his car up and put the search and rescue dog Magnum inside in the backseat and within 15 minutes when he checked, the vehicle was gone.
"At this point it's like losing another child," said firefighter Vincent Stoops.
Stoops and Magnum met around six years ago. Magnum was a search and rescue trainee.
"This is a really cool toy I don't know how to use. And then it ended up that we built this bond together." said Vincent.
When Stoops learned that Magnum was gone, he became scared.
"Things went from tired...ready to end my day...to I gotta find my dog who I've had for a long time," he said.
About an hour after the vehicle was stolen today, it was found at Red Fox Apartments near 15th and Memorial with Magnum inside.
A crime w/a happy ending. Meet Magnum, a @TulsaFire rescue dog in his owner's car when it was stolen. 1 hour later, he was found. @KJRH2HD pic.twitter.com/eM24t5vWmp
— Darcy Jackson (@DJacksonKJRH) January 6, 2017
Police arrested 34-year-old Jeremy Kirk for the theft and said he told them he wouldn't have taken the vehicle if he had known the dog was in the back, that "he just needed a ride."
Both Tulsa Police and Tulsa Fire officials applauded their departments for the quick and safe return of both car and a rescue dog that needed rescuing.
"You're around the dog everyday and he's not a dog anymore. He's a person," said Stoops. "They really came through today."
Kirk was booked into Tulsa County Jail and charged with being in possession of a stolen vehicle.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
