Aug 17, 2008 10:17 am US/Pacific
Thieves Steal Couple's SUV With Dog Inside
RIVERSIDE
A Hemet couple visiting Riverside National Cemetery to honor war veterans was left devastated when somebody stole their SUV, with their disabled dog inside, The Press-Enterprise newspaper reported.
"It's not just any dog," a sobbing Mary Michael, of Hemet, told the Press-Enterprise. "It's my Rebel."
"It's like losing a child," her husband, Craig Michael, told the Riverside-based newspaper.
Rebel is a 16-year-old wolf and Malamute mix, and she cannot walk because she has hip dysplasia and needs medication, the Michaels said.
The Michaels visited the cemetery Saturday afternoon to pay tribute to veterans and V-J Day. Mary Michael's father had been a prisoner of war under the Japanese during World War II, she told the Press-Enterprise.
The couple left their white 2001 Ford Explorer running with the air conditioner on for Rebel.
The couple were steps away from the vehicle when a car pulled up.
A woman got out of the car, jumped into the Michaels' Explorer and sped away, taking the dog with her, the Michaels said.
When it was stolen, the Michaels' Explorer had California license plate 4VQT866, according to the Press-Enterprise.
Deputies asked anyone with information to call the Riverside County Sheriff's Department at (951) 776-1099.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
