08-04-2025
Man accused of stealing Lucky the dog to appear in Westmoreland County court
The man accused of stealing a car
with a veteran's beloved dog inside
is scheduled to make a court appearance in Westmoreland County on Tuesday.
Kenneth Crider was eventually caught
after a police chase in North Carolina, but authorities said Willard Martz's dog Lucky wasn't inside.
The search for Lucky sparked massive public interest,
with a Facebook group
called Bring Lucky Home to PA amassing thousands of followers.
Billboards even went up
across the Pittsburgh area, trying to spread the message.
Police said Crider stole the keys from Martz's pants pocket while he was on his way into the Tractor Supply in East Huntingdon on Sept. 23. Investigators said
Crider hopped into the car and drove off
, with Lucky, a 10-year-old Airedale-terrier mix still inside.
After catching Crider about a week later, he told detectives he let Lucky go "at an unknown rest stop between Myrtle Beach and Nash County," around 500 miles from Lucky's home in Westmoreland County.
While there were
reports of stray dogs who looked like Lucky
, he hasn't been found.
