12 French Bulldogs Valued at $100,000 Stolen from California Pet Store

The canines were allegedly taken from the Top Dog Pet Store in Gardena on Nov. 21

Police are searching for a group of men who allegedly stole 12 French bulldogs from a pet shop in California.

The incident happened on Nov. 21. at around 1 a.m. at the Top Dog Pet Store in Gardena, authorities say, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.

The dogs are collectively worth $100,000.

Andres Avalos, the store’s owner, said the suspects stole 12 French bulldogs, including a 10-month-old show dog called Roll X, per the outlet. Avalos also claimed that the men stole $2,000 from the cash register at the store.

In surveillance footage obtained by Fox Carolina, four masked men can be seen outside the business in a large white Chevy van.

They then break into the pet store and start moving the dogs into the back of the van, with some of the dogs being carried in cages, while others were thrown in loose.

Avalos told KTLA that the suspects threw the dogs into the van “like they were stuffed animals.”

“It’s horrible,” he added.

“They came in through the front door, kicked this door open, turned the light on, grabbed the dogs and took off,” continued Avalos, who said the dog community has been “helping a lot” following the theft, which lasted fewer than five minutes.

“We love our animals. It’s just frustrating more than anything that they’re out there and we can’t do anything about it,” he continued to the outlet.

The outlet also reported that Avalos is offering a substantial reward for the return of the dogs, but he did not specify the amount.

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The Gardena Police Department said the theft is under investigation, per FOX 11 Los Angeles.

A spokesperson for the Gardena Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The alleged theft comes two years after Lady Gaga's two French bulldogs were stolen in an armed robbery in Los Angeles. The Feb. 2021 incident, which saw her dogs Koji and Gustav taken, also left her dog walker critically wounded.

At the time, Tara Bruno, the founder of SNORT Rescue, an organization that rescues bulldogs and similar breeds, spoke to PEOPLE about why French bulldogs are such a frequent target for thieves.

"The motive is resale. Thieves know they can get a couple thousand dollars for them," said Bruno.

In 2022, the American Kennel Club listed French bulldogs as the most popular breed in the United States.

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