An Amazon delivery driver has been arrested after allegedly stealing a French bulldog while delivering packages in a Florida neighborhood.
The Hernando County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that deputies had responded to a report of a missing dog on Dec. 23 in Spring Hill, Florida — about 50 miles north of Tampa. Upon arrival, authorities said the owner told them that her French bulldog, Kali — valued at around $4,000 — had escaped from the home's fenced backyard.
Deputies said a neighbor later notified the owner that they had seen Kali walk up to a Hispanic man in his mid-20s, who was dressed in an Amazon uniform and driving a white Cheverolet Cruz. The neighbor said the man had just finished delivering a package to a nearby residence, and began interacting with Kali, before grabbing the dog and driving off.
According to police, another neighbor later notified the dog's owner that they too had witnessed Kali's abduction.
After initially reporting the incident to Amazon customer support, Kali's owner was advised to contact law enforcement, and later provided officers with a photo and detailed description of the 1-year-old dog.
It wasn't until Jan. 16 — nearly a month after Kali went missing — that detectives were able to identify the alleged thief as 34-year-old Reinier Revilla.
Officers then responded to the man's home in Tampa, Florida, where he admitted to stealing Kali, and still had the dog in his possession. She was recovered from a nearby residence later that day and finally returned back to her owner.
Authorities said they obtained a warrant for Revilla's arrest the following day for grand theft. Then on Jan. 19, Revilla turned himself in to the Hillsborough County jail where he was processed and later released after posting a $5,000 bond.
An Amazon spokesperson told Fox 13 News that they remained in contact with Kali's owner throughout the process, and that Revilla no longer delivers packages for the company.
The investigation into Kali's theft remains ongoing and detectives are encouraging anyone with information to contact the Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS.
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