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Miami Herald

Owners lay trap after French bulldog stolen, MI cops say. Now man is sentenced

The owners of a French bulldog hatched a plan after learning their pet had been stolen, and now a Michigan man has been sentenced, according to police and news outlets. In late April, the Troy Police Department said a local woman found a lost French bulldog in her backyard and shared a photo on Facebook in an attempt to reunite the dog with its owners. Then a man, 24-year-old Malik Deshawn Motley, reached out saying it was his, according to police. The brindle-colored French bulldog is named Fats, The Oakland Press reported. Motley had 'provided what appeared to be convincing photos and information. Believing him, the resident released the dog to him,' police said. The same day, the dog's real owners contacted the woman, but it was too late, police said./ Motley and the dog were gone. However, the owners soon discovered their beloved Fats was listed for sale online, so they decided to lay a trap, police said. Pretending to be an interested buyer, one of the owners planned a meeting with Motley, and when he showed up, so did police, the department said. 'Upon arrival, officers located the suspect vehicle, the dog's owner, and the French Bulldog,' police said, adding that Fats was 'safely reunited' with its family. According to the department, Motley was arrested at the scene on a charge of larceny $1,000 — $20,000, which is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Motley pleaded no contest in June, and he was sentenced Monday, Aug. 11, to 40 days in jail, WDIV reported. French bulldogs are the most popular breed out of the 202 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, according to the organization. They are also highly sought after and can be expensive, with puppies regularly selling for thousands of dollars — and sometimes tens-of-thousands — depending on its physical features and lineage, according to MarketWatch. Brindle coloration, like Fats has, is considered a particularly desirable characteristic. Troy is a roughly 20-mile drive northwest from downtown Detroit.