A Playa del Rey man is offering a $500 reward to the public after burglars broke into his home and stole his truck and thousands of dollars worth of valuables -- but it's his beloved Boston Terrier that he really wants back.
The residential burglary occurred sometime between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 15 in the area of Manchester Avenue and Pershing Drive, according to the Los Angeles Police Department Pacific Division.
Burglars broke through the front door and ransacked David Arbogast's home and took an antique firearm, $50,000 worth of rare coins, valuable watches, a bicycle, his pickup truck, and his 3-year-old Boston Terrier named "Sparky."
"I've lost a part of me," Arbogast said. "I haven't been able to sleep."
Arbogast came home that day and discovered the doors were open and everything was rifled through. The first thing he did was call out for his dog. Sparky didn't come out.
Arbogast's 2001 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was spotted the next day with two men who were attempting to steal property from another residence near the area of Manchester Avenue and La Tijera Boulevard, police said. Arbogast believes his truck was connected to another burglary in the area as well.
The truck is distinctive -- white, with a blue tailgate and a white camper shell over it, and a California license plate 6R28548.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Arbogast has been glued to his phone and computer since he disappeared, making calls and putting out pleas online in hopes that others can help find Sparky.
Sparky weighs approximately 30 pounds and is microchipped and neutered. He's very friendly and responds to his name.
If someone has the dog or finds him, Arbogast asks they turn him in to a shelter or the SPCA, no questions asked.
"Sparky is my boy and I only want him back," Arbogast said. "Please help return my boy."
If the stolen vehicle is spotted, detectives advise people to call 911. If anyone has information regarding the crime or stolen property, contact LAPD Pacific at 310-482-6363.
