2 men charged in stolen puppies case

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Deputy constables have recovered one of six puppies stolen from a northwest Harris County home and have charged two men in their theft.

Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables arrived to a home on Ridge Stream Lane near Randall Ridge Lane in the Cypress area on March 2 in response to a reported animal theft. The resident told deputy constables that two males entered the backyard of his home and stole six Husky puppies. He provided deputy constables with surveillance video of the theft and a witness later identified the men in the video as Jose Reyes Garcia, 19, and Victor Adrian Galindo, 17.

Deputy constables contacted Reyes by telephone and he admitted to stealing the puppies but said that he had sold five of them. They then contacted Galindo who said that he would return one of the puppies and that it could be found in a nearby neighborhood park. That puppy was found in a box inside a garbage can.

Garcia and Galindo were each charged with theft, a Class A misdemeanor, with warrants was issued for their arrests. Bond was set for Garcia at $5,000. Galindo posted a $1,000 bond after he surrendered himself to the Harris County Jail on March 13.

"Thankfully one of the puppies was recovered and returned unharmed," said Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman. "The investigation into the location of the other five puppies will continue in an effort to reunite them with their owner."