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Hampton Police investigating after suspect caught on camera stealing 6 puppies from grooming business

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Posted at 9:52 AM, Jan 21, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-21 13:35:24-05

HAMPTON, Va. - Hampton Police is investigating the overnight commercial burglary of six husky puppies.

Authorities received a call with reports of the burglary at approximately 7:36 a.m on January 21, 2022

The incident happened at Critter Cleaners, a grooming business located in the 5100 block of West Mercury Boulevard.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect gained access to the business overnight by entering through a window. The suspect removed six three-week-old husky puppies and an undisclosed amount of money from the business.

Bandi Murdock, the owner of Critter Cleaners, told News 3 that the suspect ate food, watched television and took a shower before taking the puppies from their mother.

"If anyone knows where my puppies are, [come forward] because they will die. They're not going to survive without their mom," Murdock told News 3.

Murdock says in addition to the grooming business, she is also a breeder. She says she keeps the puppies and their mom at the salon with frequent check-ins from herself and the staff.

"It's been a while and the puppies are desperately needing to eat, not to mention the temperatures outside," she said.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing a puffy jacket, dark jeans, and boots.

Anyone with information that will assist police are encouraged to contact the Hampton Police Division at 757–727–6111 or the Crime Line at 1–888-LOCK-U-UP. Crime Line callers remain anonymous and never appear in court. If a Crime Line tip results in an arrest, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000.00.