Dogs reported stolen in NE Mpls.

MINNEAPOLIS - Police are warning dog owners in northeast Minneapolis to keep a close eye on their pets after reports that three dogs have been stolen over the past few weeks.

"It's a dog--it's not just a phone or something," said Brooke Redbear, whose four-month-old pit bull, Kingston, was reported stolen Sept. 22. "We wouldn't care about a phone, but he was our dog."

Police say someone broke into Redbear's home on Sixth Street NE and stole Kingston while she was away.

Then last weekend, police reported another dog theft--this one on Marshall Street--just blocks away from the last one.

"I never cried so hard about an animal," said Kaishara Gibson-Wilson, whose small dog, Bebe, was unharnessed and stolen while tied to a leash in the front yard.

Fortunately, Bebe was returned to Gibson-Wilson after she posted her pet's photo on the website petamberalert.com.

Police reported a third dog stolen from a car on Central Avenue NE. The owner tells us she later found her dog.

As for Redbear, she's still hoping for answers and for Kingston's safe return.

"We just hope that he's not being hurt," said Redbear.

Crime prevention specialists sent out an alert Friday, informing residents about the alleged dog thefts. The following cases were reported:

• -Sept. 17- The victim tells police she returned to the parking lot of a business on the 2500 block of Central Avenue NE to find one of her two dogs had been taken from the car. The dog is described as a 3-year-old brown and white Chihuahua named Sassy, who was wearing a red flea collar.
• -Sept. 22- A 4-month-old Pitbull puppy named Kingston was taken from inside a residence on the 2200 block of 6th Street NE. He is brownish black with a white spot on each paw and a white stripe on his chest. The puppy was wearing a black and white collar.
• -Oct. 4- A 6-year-old black Maltese named Bebe was taken from a tie out leash in her front yard on the 2700 block of Marshall Street NE. A second dog was left alone. Police now say Bebe was returned to her owner when she was identified with an animal Amber Alert.

At this point, there is no suspect information. Police are urging neighborhood residents to microchip their pets, and more importantly, keep an eye open and call 911 when witnessing suspicious or criminal activity around your property or block.