A heartfelt reunion took place in Washington, D.C., as a French Bulldog named Recardito was finally returned to his owner after being lost in a stolen car incident. The Metropolitan Police Department announced the good news, marking the end of a distressing period for both the dog and his owner, identified by Fox 5 as Elkin.
Stolen French Bulldog reunites with owner after going missing for a day
Recardito’s ordeal began when he vanished along with the car he was left in. Elkin had momentarily left Recardito in his parked vehicle while he went to pick up a food order for DoorDash from a nearby McDonald’s. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday in the 1900 block of 14th Street, Northwest. When Elkin returned, he realized that his car and his beloved pet were nowhere to be found.
Despite the initial setback when the stolen vehicle was recovered without Recardito, the police’s diligent efforts paid off. Images of the suspect, captured on surveillance cameras nearby, were shared alongside Recardito’s photo in a plea for public assistance. The Metropolitan Police Department’s determination led to an update on Monday evening. They declared that Recardito had been found and reunited with Elkin. “Good news to share! MPD detectives located Recardito tonight and reunited him with his owner,” the police department wrote.
The reunion was a moment of pure joy, with photographs capturing Elkin’s emotional embrace with Recardito, and a heartwarming picture featuring them with a detective from the case.
‘Recardito’ was stolen with the car over the weekend
Before the reunion, Fox 5 had spoken with Elkin, who had recently moved to D.C. from Colombia with Recardito. Facing the terrifying possibility of losing his four-legged companion, Elkin expressed his desperation and plea for Recardito’s safe return. “The truth is, I don’t know what to do,” Elkin said in Spanish, per Fox 5. “I need my dog back.”
Despite the happy ending for Recardito and Elkin, the perpetrator behind the theft remains at large. The Metropolitan Police Department has appealed to the public for assistance in identifying and capturing the suspect. They have offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. “Anyone who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411,” the police stated.
