Security Footage Captures Dognappers Stealing Labradoodles from Southern California Vehicle

A woman in Southern California is grappling with a pet owner’s worst nightmare after her two cherished Labradoodles were stolen from her parked car in broad daylight. The entire incident was caught on surveillance footage, adding to the distressing situation.

Esma Bohannon’s ordeal began last month when she made a quick stop for errands in Encinitas, leaving her dogs, Coco Chanel, aged 7, and Taco, aged 3, inside her vehicle. To ensure their comfort, she had rolled down the windows and placed a large bowl of water inside the car.

During her brief absence, two unidentified women approached and swiftly took the dogs, transferring them to their own vehicle. This brazen act was captured on video, leaving Bohannon distraught and searching for answers.

Since the incident, Bohannon has repeatedly watched the footage of the theft, trying to make sense of what happened.

“It felt surreal,” Bohannon shared with ABC 10. “When I saw the empty car, I was in utter shock and fear.”

“It was just not real to me. I looked inside and I was in shock… I was terrified,” Bohannon told ABC 10.

“I just can’t even describe how that feels that someone is taking away your loved ones.”

She wondered aloud whether the women thought they were rescuing the dogs because of the heat.

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“Hopefully it really was a situation where somebody thought, ‘I will help her out,’” Bohannon said.

But that’s cold comfort to the inconsolable dog owner, as neither Coco nor Taco have shown up at any shelters or humane societies, despite both pups wearing tags bearing Bohannon’s phone number.

Bohannon filed a report with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and is begging anyone with information to come forward.

“I just really would like to have two dogs back, and that’s all that I want,” she said.