Minneapolis police investigating after family car stolen with 2 dogs inside

Minneapolis police are investigating after a family’s SUV was stolen with their two dogs inside.

The family confirmed one of the dogs was found Friday but they are still searching for the other.

The auto theft happened at 8:19 a.m. Thursday along Bloomington Avenue South, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.

"It all happened so fast. I was just in total shock," Gina Rios, the owner of the SUV, said.

Rios said she was dropping off her 2-year-old daughter at day care and had left the car running with her two terriers inside.

"The teachers meet us right out front. It takes like 30 seconds and there are other parents in the parking lot," Rios said. "So I was like, ‘Is this really happening? Is that lady getting in my car?’"

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS obtained surveillance video of the incident. In it, you can see a gray car pull up behind Rios’ vehicle. Not long after, a suspect, who police describe as an adult white female, walked over to the SUV, got behind the wheel and sped away.

Rios said her two rescue dogs, Lucy and Lola, were inside the SUV.

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She said the family has received an outpouring of support from the community, wanting to help locate the missing animals.

"It’s incredible to know that people care that much about a dog they’ve never met, people they’ve never met," Rios said.

Rios said the family received a phone call around 3 a.m. Friday from the Coon Rapids Police Department, stating they had found one of the dogs running along Highway 10, about 25 miles from where the SUV was stolen.

Lucy was able to return home early Friday morning, but Lola is still missing.

"We’re half way there. We got one, just need one more," said Brian Storey, Gina’s husband.

Through tears, Rios added, "Lola, she came from a really rough home to begin with and I know how scared she gets."

According to Minneapolis Police Department data, auto thefts are on the rise in the city. There have been 3,594 incidents in 2020 so far, marking a 36% increase from last year and an 82% increase from the 10-year average.

Rios said this is the second time in just a couple of weeks her family has had a vehicle stolen in Minneapolis.

"We had our other one stolen two weeks ago from right in front of our house," Rios said.

She said the first vehicle was locked and not running. She said it was later found with drug paraphernalia inside.

The Minneapolis Police Department is urging the public to stay vigilant.

If you recognize the suspect or suspect vehicle in this case or have seen the missing dog, call police.