Austin man reunited with dog after car was stolen with his pet inside

AUSTIN, Texas - A Northwest Austin man is breathing a sigh of relief. He has been reunited with his dog after his car was stolen with his beloved companion inside. "We sleep together, we eat together," said Frank Bailey. "He’s never been apart from me." 

Bailey and his poodle Ollie have been inseparable for 12 years—that is, until the winter storm on Feb. 3.  "It was freezing, it was like 13 degrees, 14 degrees. It was horribly cold," said Bailey. He left Ollie in his car with the heat on at the Target on RM 2222 in Northwest Austin. "I was just running in for a minute," said Bailey. When he came back out, the car and Ollie were gone.

"I was so hysterical. I mean to have the car gone okay, that’s one thing, but to have the animal you love in the vehicle gone, I just started crying," said Bailey.

"There are always people looking for an opportunity to steal your vehicle, whether you believe it or not," said Austin Police Det. Francisco Jimenez. Austin Police responded right away, but there was no sign of the car or Ollie.

"I felt lost. I felt there was nothing I could do I was scared," said Bailey.

"I didn’t have much hopes of getting this dog back," said Austin Police Cpl. Marcus Davis. But hours later, and about 10 miles on Parmer Lane, police caught a break in the case.

Davis was patrolling a game room known to be a hangout for people with stolen vehicles. Sure enough, Bailey’s car pulled in and two men got out. After he briefly fled on foot, officers were able to arrest the suspected thief, 40-year-old Joshua Cannon.

"We kind of put it in a bigger picture to where ‘hey, this is some guy’s dog for 10 years, it’s his best friend, his partner. Do the right thing and just tell us where the dog is,’" said Davis. That strategy worked. Cannon led police to a nearby apartment, where officers found Ollie, safe and sound—then quickly called Frank Bailey.

"We drove down there, and it wasn’t but five minutes later, there comes another police car with Ollie. He’s in the police car, and he’s here and he’s safe," said Bailey.  

"Seeing him with his best friend back, that’s what made us feel very special," said Davis. Still, police hope this serves as a teachable moment.

"As simple as it is, please don’t leave your cars running with the keys in them," said Jimenez.

"My new thing is, ‘Ollie, I love you, I want to spend time with you, but you’re going to have to stay home,’" said Bailey.

As for the officers who rescued his best friend? "I don’t know if I have any words to say to them, except thank you," said Bailey. "They found my Ollie. They found my little puppy."

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