Why thieves are snatching French bulldogs across the US
The two thieves who brutally robbed 27-year-old Marieke Bayens at gunpoint on a California street were not after her purse — or her. They wanted the little dog at the end of her leash: Merlyn, a French bulldog.
From New York to Los Angeles, and from Miami to Chicago, thefts of the prized breed have been on the rise.
Small and friendly — and thus easy to grab — French bulldogs are hugely popular, selling for thousands of dollars on the black market.
They have the added draw of being a “dog of the stars.”
The most famous victim so far has been Lady Gaga. Armed men last year stole her pet bulldogs Koji and Gustav, even opening fire on an employee who was walking them (he was wounded but survived).
The superstar singer offered a $500,000 reward for their return and eventually got the dogs back. Police made five arrests in the case.