What to Know
- Chulo,a Shih Tzu, was stolen from outside a Bronx supermarket while his owner went in briefly
- Surveillance video shows the suspect calmly taking the dog's leash and walking away
- The dog was found tied up outside the supermarket where he was taken
A veteran's service dog has been returned to the New York City supermarket where it was snatched on Sunday, police say.
Chulo, a Shih Tzu belonging to Vietnam War veteran John Nevarez, was found tied to a pole outside the Associated supermarket in the Bronx at about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
That's where he was taken while Nevarez was buying dog food in the store.
"Two, three minutes -- and you'll see it on the tape -- I went in, tied him up, got some dog food, hit the counter and I was out," Nevarez told NBC 4 New York earlier. "When I looked, I said, 'Where is he?' The guy must have been crossing the street in that direction."
Surveillance video showed a man in a gray t-shirt and shorts grabbing the leash and calmly walking away with the dog.
Nevarez, a former U.S. Navy Seabee, is diabetic and Chulo is trained to save his life. He told NBC 4 he could not sleep without Chulo and that whoever took him could bring him back to the store.
Local
After Chulo was returned, Nevarez told NBC 4 New York he was "thrilled" to have his dog back.
Police are still investigating who took the dog.
