WATCH: Local News Reporter Busts Dognapping Suspect — While Reporting on the Stolen Dog
A local TV news story took a surprising, uplifting turn when a Boston reporter was covering a story about a dog who was stolen from his owner…and she ended up finding the very missing dog in the middle of reporting on the story.
Earlier this month, 7News journalist Juliana Mazza was reporting on the kidnapping where a man broke into a car and kidnapped a 13-month-old white German Shorthaired Pointer named Titus. The dognapper was caught on surveillance camera as he walked away with Titus, and later in the day, Mazza arrived at the scene of the crime to file a story.
As Mazza was working, she noticed a man nearby who was walking a dog that looked very much like Titus. Mazza told Inside Edition that she and her cameraman approached the man, asked if she could pet the dog, and that gave her a chance to get down and check Titus for his name tag.
#ICYMI: I HAD to repost this story told by the lovely @MeganAlexander of @InsideEdition ! It aired last night after #7News at 6pm! pic.twitter.com/KvW176Q6xQ
— Juliana Mazza (@julianamazzatv) May 11, 2021
From there, Mazza began to ask the man (later identified as Kyle Gariepy) a bunch of probing questions, and he admitted on camera to taking the dog. Gariepy claimed that the incident was a misunderstanding and that he tried to call the police, though he said his phone was broken, and the police say they have no record of him making contact with them or Titus’ owner.
“The news crew called police and Gariepy was arrested and charged with larceny of more than $1,200 and breaking and entering into a vehicle to commit a felony,” 7News reported. “Officers brought Titus’ owner, Greg Siesczkiewicz, who had an emotional reunion with his pet.”
Watch above, via WCVB.
