A man in his 60s who allegedly dragged away a pet dog tied in the yard of a house in Daejeon without permission was arrested by police. The man was caught, but the whereabouts of the dog remain unknown.
Daejeon Daedeok Police Station said on the 10th that it booked a person in his 60s, identified only as A, on suspicion of trespassing, theft, and violating the Animal Protection Act, and is investigating.
Police said A is suspected of dragging away a Jindo named "Bongbongi" that had been tied in the yard of a house in Birae-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, on the morning of the 7th. After receiving a report that the pet had disappeared, police identified A, who had been working as a dog trader in Daejeon, as a suspect and apprehended the person.
The investigation found that A had been commissioned by a client to take a dog from a different nearby neighbor's home but, having mistaken the destination, took Bongbongi instead. Records confirming that payment had been made to the originally commissioned home for the purchase expense were also found.
Although the kidnapper of Bongbongi has been caught, the dog's whereabouts are still unconfirmed. It was found that A said in a statement that Bongbongi, who had been tied at a farm hut, escaped.
However, the victim claims that A said at the beginning of the case that Bongbongi was already dead. The victim says A changed the statement during the police investigation from saying Bongbongi had died to saying the dog ran away.
Police have completed a preliminary investigation and are considering compulsory measures, including a search and seizure, if necessary.