A downtown Long Beach resident says police recovered her stolen vehicle within 10 minutes after someone drove off with her two dogs still inside.
Around 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 2, Irma Martinez parked her red 2009 Toyota Camry outside her condominium on West Ocean Boulevard near Chestnut Avenue and left the car running with the air conditioning on and her two dogs — a Siberian husky named Thunder and a dachshund named Darla — inside.
“In less than five minutes, the car was gone,” Martinez said.
In a panic, Martinez ran to the building’s property manager, who called police and gave a description of the car.
Martinez said she feared that Darla — who is “feisty” — would bite the car thief and put herself in harm’s way.
“I was going nuts, to be honest,” Martinez said. “[It was] such a horrible experience.”
Officers gave out the vehicle information over police radio, and another officer spotted the car near Olive Avenue and 10th Street, according to Long Beach police.
That officer “lost sight of the vehicle” but found it again shortly after near Seventh Street and Long Beach Boulevard, police said.
When the officer caught up with the car, the car thief had fled, but “both dogs were safe and unharmed inside,” police said.
“I was in disbelief that they actually found them so quick and saved my car, too,” Martinez said.
Police did not provide a description of the suspected car thief or disclose whether anyone was arrested.
Martinez has had both dogs for about four years. She adopted them both when they were eight weeks old and has raised them together.
“They’ve been together since they were babies,” Martinez said. “They love each other. They do everything together.”