Family reunited with dog after girl, 11, steals it from yard, officials say

Woman thanks social media users for helping to solve crime

DELTONA, Fla. – Danielle Kruid was so scared that she'd never see her 8-year-old dog, Reba, after deputies said an 11-year-old girl stole the Vizsla from the family's front yard Tuesday afternoon.

"She obviously had intent," Kruid said.

Kruid's Ring Doorbell video captured the child at the front door, but it was other surveillance video that Kruid said showed the girl wanting the dog.

"She had a book bag with her, she had treats with her, she was kneeling down coaxing her," Kruid said.

The girl even took off Reba's shock collar to replace it with a leash of her own, according to Kruid. She immediately called deputies and posted surveillance video to social media.

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"I honestly can't be thankful enough to social media and Facebook," Kruid said.

Tips started pouring in from people, including Mark Dibacco, who said they've encountered a girl with a similar description.

"She rang the bell and she goes, 'Do you guys see any stray animals in your backyard or anywhere?' and we were like, 'No,'" Dibacco said.

Dibacco said that encounter happened two weeks ago. However, after hearing about Reba's disappearance, he checked his surveillance video. Dibacco's video captured the girl walking alone and, 20 minutes later, returning with Reba.

"Seeing her get out of the car was amazing," Kruid said.

Deputies were able to piece the puzzle together and return Reba to her family. Kruid told News 6 the family confessed to stealing her dog.

"It really did tug on my heart strings to do this to an 11-year-old, but it's way too common. There's way too many people complaining about this," Kruid said. "I figured if I didn't do something, where was it going to end? My family was devastated, my kids were crying. That just broke my heart and I don't want anybody else to have to go through that."

The child is facing a grand theft charge.


About the Author:

Loren Korn is a native Texan who joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2014. She was born and raised in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Journalism.

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