HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — In East Downtown, the victim of a car theft says her vehicle is the least of her concerns. The thief drove off with her dog, and she’s still missing.
Neha Wooten said she got a call from the Houston Police Department earlier Tuesday afternoon informing her that her car turned up in Pasadena. However, her dog Mila was nowhere to be found.
Surveillance video from a gas station shows the theft.
“He just beelines for the car, hops in, and takes off,” Wooten said.
The video is one clue she has to help her and authorities find Mila. The little, white dog can be seen in the passenger’s seat of a black Jaguar XF on Monday morning.
Mila, a Maltese shih tzu, was taken on Oct. 17, 2022 in Houston’s East Downtown area.
Courtesy: Wooten family
Wooten’s husband ran into a convenience store off Highway 59 and Runnels for a drink. During the short time he was inside, a man stole the car with Mila in it.
“She’s 7 years old, half Shih Tzu and half Maltese, and literally a princess. She would not survive in the wild. Even at home, she doesn’t sit on the floor unless there’s a pillow under her,” Wooten said.
HPD hasn’t released any information yet about the thief, but Wooten said police told her the car turned up on Tuesday in Pasadena.
“I really don’t care about the car. I just want my dog back,” she said. “It’s hard to even talk about it, because I know how precious she is. She’s not a feisty dog. I don’t know. I feel like she’s just very scared and vulnerable in unknown surroundings. She’s never been with anyone outside of family.”
Wooten said she has searched for any sign of her dog in both Pasadena and Houston. She’s offering a cash reward for anyone who can help her bring Mila home, no questions asked.
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