Owner offers $5K reward after car stolen in St. Paul with puppy still inside

A St. Paul man is offering a reward for anyone who finds his puppy who was kenneled in his car when someone stole it from outside his home Monday morning.

Police say officers responded to a reported auto theft around 6 a.m. on the 1700 block of James Avenue West. The owner said he started his car — a dark blue 2006 Audi A6 with Wisconsin license plate AMY-3255 —and went back inside his home. When he came back outside, the vehicle was gone. His 4-month-old bullmastiff puppy, Kua, was still inside.

The owner, Matt Thoreen, says he was inside for "less than a minute." He has announced a $5,000 reward for Kua’s safe return; otherwise, he said he would offer a reward for information that leads to the person responsible for taking her.

"I don’t care about the car, I just want my dog back," Thoreen said.

Kua is tan in color and was wearing a red collar. Anyone who sees her is asked to call the St. Paul Police Department at 651-291-1111.