By Michael V. Cusenza
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday that a 16-year-old has been charged in the gunpoint theft of a French bulldog on Christmas day in Dutch Kills.
The defendant, whose identity is being withheld due to his age, is a Brooklyn resident. He has been charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a firearm, menacing in the second degree, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree.
According to the charges:
On Dec. 25, at approximately 9 a.m., a 15-year-old was walking his dog when the defendant approached him in front of 41-14 10th St., held a gun to his chest and told him he had five seconds to run.
Photo Courtesy of NYPD
A 9mm gun containing 12 rounds of ammunition was found in a parking lot on the opposite side of A fence where the defendant allegedly threw it.
The dog owner dropped the leash and ran. He called police.
Approximately 15 minutes later, an NYPD officer saw the defendant with the dog a short distance away, in the vicinity of 38-16 10th St., and observed him throw a firearm over a fence.
A 9mm gun containing 12 rounds of ammunition was found in a parking lot on the opposite side of the fence where the defendant threw it.
The dog was returned to its owner.
“Pulling a gun in broad daylight to steal a dog and then casually taking the animal for a stroll is a kind of dangerous brazenness we will not tolerate under any circumstance,” Katz. “The defendant will have to answer for the charges against him.”
“Thanks to the quick actions by your NYPD Housing Bureau Police Service Area 9 cops, the criminal was caught, a firearm was recovered, and the owner and pooch will not be having a RUFF day,” Gotham’s Finest quipped on social media.
