Charges: St. Paul teen stole French Bulldog, tried to sell it for $700

An 18-year-old St. Paul man has been charged with stealing a French Bulldog and attempting to sell it before the owner was contacted by a concerned citizen.

According to charges, Lonnie Ray Jenkins and another man pushed down the dog's owner before stealing the pet in the area of York Avenue and Arkwright Street in St. Paul around 4 p.m. on April 24

Jenkins attempted to sell the dog for $700. The owner told police it's worth "thousands of dollars."

The owner said she and the dog, a seven-year-old Frenchie named Clementine, had been to get ice cream and while they were walking home, she noticed two males following directly behind her, who followed her when she crossed the street.

According to the complaint, the two men asked the woman about her dog when she reached the front steps of her home. They then attempted to steal Clementine, with one of the men pushing the owner down.

The men ran west on York Avenue towards Westminster Street, with the woman then calling 911. During the robbery, the woman scraped her knee and her pants were torn.

The owner said she was worried for Clementine's safety as she is provided medication for her inflammatory bowel disease and anxiety.

"If Clementine went without her medication for a long period of time he would get very sick and start bleeding," the complaint states.

Authorities found surveillance video in the neighborhood showing the two dognappers wearing masks. One of the men used a cell phone and said, "Darius, hurry up." A short time later, a maroon SUV is seen picking up the two men before leaving the area.

On April 25, the owner posted flyers around the city with Clementine's information. She received a call from a man who said he saw an "anxious" dog that was believed to be hers at a residence on the 500 block of Selby Avenue that same evening.

The concerned citizen told police a man asked him if he was interested in buying the dog for $700. He said when he saw the dog, it appeared to be "sick and lethargic." After leaving the home, the man said that's when he noticed the flyer for Clementine.

Officers identified Jenkins as a resident at the home. He was wanted at the time in connection to a string of aggravated robberies in Minneapolis.

On April 26, police executed a search warrant at the home and found the dog on the living room couch. It was confirmed to be Clementine by scanning her implanted chip and was returned to her owner.

Jenkins wasn't home at the time of the search warrant. He was later arrested on Tuesday, police said.

The 18-year-old is charged with one count of 1st-degree aggravated robbery. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine. He made his first court appearance on Wednesday.