HOUSTON – Surveillance video captured a bold and calculated theft at a Southeast Houston pet store this week, where three purebred puppies, a turtle, and hundreds of dollars in pet merchandise were stolen.
The suspects? A group that included two women, a man, and a young girl believed to be around 10 years old.
The incident happened at The Pet Place, a longtime neighborhood shop located off Beamer Road. Store owner Adam Abidlatif says the group first came in earlier that afternoon to scope out the store. Later, around 5 p.m., they returned—this time with a plan.
Surveillance video shows the group entering the store and splitting up. While one woman asked employees about guinea pigs, another moved toward the back of the store. A man stood near the entrance, acting as a lookout. The child wandered nearby, waiting.
“They were in here shopping... had my staff tied up... assuming they were gonna purchase,” Abidlatif told KPRC 2. “But they were working through the store—planned, you know what I mean?”
The video reveals a coordinated effort. One woman opens a kennel in the employee-only puppy area, removing two dapple dachshunds and wrapping them in a black jacket. A third puppy—a shih tzu—was harder to reach. That’s when the child was sent in.
“She was hesitant about going. You can see she’s super scared,” Abidlatif said. “She shouldn’t have been in that type of predicament. That’s very upsetting to see.”
The girl tucked the third puppy into her shirt. Meanwhile, the man removed an aquatic turtle from a nearby tank and slipped it into his coat. The group casually walked out the front door seconds later.
What happened next took everyone by surprise.
While KPRC 2’s Ricky Munoz and photojournalist Eddy Diaz were still conducting their interview with Abidlatif, a woman dressed in black entered the store carrying a pet carrier. She claimed she had been sent by the group to return one of the stolen puppies.
“I’m glad one came back,” Abidlatif said. “But what about the others? It’s not just about the money. These are living animals—they need care.”
Abidlatif estimates the total loss at over $10,000. That includes not just the animals themselves, but the cost of vaccinations, food, and the daily care they require.
He said his biggest concern is the puppies’ health.
“They’re still young,” he said. “They haven’t had all their shots. Now they’re out somewhere possibly exposed to who-knows-what. That’s what keeps me up at night.”
Harris County Pct. 2 deputies are reviewing hours of surveillance footage and believe they have strong leads. Captain Marco Leal tells KPRC 2 one of the suspects may have been wearing an ankle monitor and could be connected to other open cases.
“We certainly—we call that very irresponsible, in a sense, that what could’ve resulted,” Leal said. “We all know that situations like that can result in interaction—sometimes not positive—between the public and those involved in the crime. Having a child involved... that changes the circumstances and the significance of what’s going on.”
Regular customers who saw the footage said they were shocked.
“I saw the video and couldn’t believe it,” one shopper told KPRC 2. “I mean, using a little girl? That’s heartbreaking.”
“You think this stuff happens at big stores—not at a local shop like this,” another said. “It’s just wrong. They work hard here.”
Abidlatif says the store has since added more cameras, retrained staff on theft distraction tactics, and is now limiting access to certain areas.
Police are urging anyone who recognizes the individuals in the video to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
