$2K reward for safe return of pup taken during car theft in Atlanta

ATLANTA - An Atlanta man is searching for his 11-week-old puppy that was taken when someone stole his Range Rover in broad daylight. Police said they found that vehicle later crashed a few hours later, but no dog inside.

Bryan Kirkland was standing nearby when the theft happened. And despite the vehicle being recovered and a number of arrests, he said he’s beside himself over the whole thing.

"We’re just holding out hope that he’s with someone that treating him well," Kirkland said. 

He said all he wants right now is to get his young pug Monkey back. Monkey has been missing for days. The last time Kirkland saw him, Monkey was in his vehicle with thieves behind the wheel of his white Range Rover and the SUV was peeling out of Buckhead parking lot. 

It was just after 5 p.m. Friday. Kirkland stopped off at the Buckhead Fresh Market on Peachtree Road. He said he parked in the first spot right outside the door, was inside less than 5 minutes, came right back out, turned on the vehicle, put groceries in, and went to return the cart inside.

"When I dropped my groceries in the car, the car was running, I scooted my cart back in, being the first one right in front of the doors, I didn’t think anything about it, I just scooted my cart in, I was maybe 30 feet away, by the time I dropped my cart to get to my car, and by the time I turned around, I was seeing my car pull out of the parking lot," Kirkland said.

Kirkland said he was still holding his car keys when he walked out and saw his car pulling away.

"I was screaming and jumping up and down, first of all, and then I turned and saw the security guard which I already knew was over there and he was just looking at his phone, and I approached him and he said, ‘Yeah, I was wondering why it was pulling out so quickly,’" Kirkland recalled.

Kirkland said a few hours later, Atlanta police told him they found his Range Rover and that it was involved in a high-speed chase with officers. It crashed on Bankhead Highway. Kirkland said he was told four people were injured in the accident and taken to an area hospital. FOX 5 has confirmed three of those individuals have been charged in the case including 18-year-old Kuante Gerrald, but Monkey is still missing.

"Please, we’re just asking for our dog back, no questions asked," Kirkland said. "We have a reward out and it's $2,000 and there are no questions asked."

In addition to Gerrald, police said 19-year-old Terrance McKibbens and 18-year-old Nakyris Ridley were arrested and charged with auto theft, weapons charges and several traffic offenses. 

Anyone who may know where Monkey is can contact FOX 5’s Patty Pan on Twitter.

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