Following a forceful robbery of a woman for her dog in St. Paul, police found her pet after someone asked a man if he wanted to buy a French bulldog and he then spotted a missing dog flyer, according to a criminal charge filed Tuesday.
On Wednesday about 4 p.m., two males followed directly behind Greta Deane as she walked her dog, Clementine, in the Payne-Phalen area. When she crossed the street, they followed. They asked her about Clementine and tried to steal her dog in the area of York Avenue and Arkwright Street, but Deane screamed and held onto the leash.
One of the males pushed Deane to the ground and the other grabbed Clementine, the criminal complaint said. They ran away.
Surveillance video showed two males walking in the neighborhood with masks on their faces and one said, “Darius, hurry up,” on a phone call. Soon after, someone in a maroon sport-utility vehicle picked up the dognappers.
Deane was worried about what would happen to Clementine because she needs daily prescription medication. She spread the word about Clementine being missing, including by posting flyers.
Deane received a call from a man who saw a dog he believed was Clementine in the 500 block of Selby Avenue in St. Paul. He said the dog was “anxious and sitting in a corner,” according to the complaint.
An investigator then spoke to the caller who said a male had asked if he was interested in buying the dog for $700. He said he went to the Selby Avenue address and saw the dog, which he described as appearing to be sick and lethargic. After he left, he spotted a missing dog flyer for Clementine at a nearby store.
Police identified Lonnie Ray Jenkins, 18, as a resident of the Selby Avenue address. He is wanted in connection to aggravated robberies in Minneapolis, according to the complaint.
The SUV used to pick up the two males matches Jenkins’ mother’s vehicle, and cellphone data placed Jenkins’ phone in the area where Deane was robbed, the complaint said.
Officers went to the address with a search warrant on Friday and found Clementine on a living room couch.
Clementine was reunited with Deane, who said she brought her dog to receive veterinary care. She’s “doing OK, getting better every day and more like herself,” Deane said.
Police arrested Jenkins on Tuesday. The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged him with first-degree aggravated robbery. It wasn’t clear Tuesday whether he has an attorney.
Police said their investigation is ongoing.
