Thieves steal French bulldog puppy from pet store in broad daylight: video

Alleged thieves have been featured in security footage that captured the moment a puppy was stolen from a shopping center pet shop in broad daylight.

Just after 1:30 p.m. Monday, a French bulldog was taken from the Pet Shop Eastgardens, in Sydney, Australia’s eastern suburbs, sending the community into an immediate panic.

Footage of a group of men interacting with pets inside the store was shared online following the theft, with local businesses, organizations, and police appealing for help finding them.

One of the men, earlier shown innocently crouched next to the puppy enclosure, was seen leaving the store in a rush while carrying the dog.

The business uploaded videos of the animal and the men to its website, with the plea: “STOLEN FRENCH BULLDOG – please help identify these individuals and bring our baby home safe.”

The puppy has a light cream color and dark patches over both eyes that, on one side, extend back to its ear.

It featured in an adorable photo taken by a shopper the day before playing with two cavoodles in the shop’s enclosure.

“My friend and I were at the Pet Shop on Level 3 at Eastgardens on Sunday afternoon and couldn’t get over how cute this French Bulldog was,” the shopper posted to Facebook.

“We found out earlier today that the dog was stolen from the pet store.”

The puppy was reportedly being sold for about $6,000.

Officers from the Eastern Beaches Police Area Command, following inquiries and a public appeal, arrested a 31-year-old man in Albury, more than 310 miles away, on Wednesday.

He was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with shoplifting.

The man was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear before Waverly Local Court in August.

The puppy, however, remains at large and inquiries have continued.

At the time, the men were dressed in white or cream-colored jumpers, with one in a red cap and another in a green cap.

Anyone with information on the puppy’s location was urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Hundreds have joined the campaign to find the puppy after news of its theft was shared across Sydney’s community groups including Sydney Eastern Suburbs & Surrounds Lost & Found Pets, and French bulldogs of Sydney.