Bolingbrook man admits to stealing dogs

A young man was sentenced to prison boot camp Tuesday for swiping two Pomeranian puppies from a Lombard pet store in a crime that ended up with one of the dogs dead.

Police still are investigating who shot the 17-week-old puppy with a BB gun, which inflicted a fatal head injury, and they said animal cruelty charges may arise in Will County.

Lydell R. Smith plead guilty last week in DuPage County to a felony charge of theft. The 20-year-old Bolingbrook man received a four-year prison term Tuesday but he'll likely be freed early if he completes a six-month boot camp program.

Smith apologized and spoke of his desire to turn around his life upon his release. He admitted stealing the puppies as a gift for his mother's birthday, but said it was a co-defendant who shot one of the dogs.

Dasheik Muhammad-Arnold, also 20, of Chicago, faces similar theft charges.

Police said the young men stole the Pomeranian puppies, a male and female, about 8 p.m. June 12 from Happiness Is Pets, 616 E. Roosevelt Road, Lombard. The suspects came into the pet shop nearly four hours earlier that day and, after producing identification, were allowed to play with the pups in a secured area, without incident.

Later, after they came back and fled with the dogs, a store employee was able to copy the license plate information off their Ford Taurus. The car was registered to Smith's girlfriend.

Nearly two weeks later, officers in Bolingbrook received a phone call from a veterinarian at the Arboretum View Animal Hospital in Downers Grove. The veterinarian reported treating a female Pomeranian puppy that died after being shot in the back of the head with a BB gun.

The animal hospital reported Smith's personal check as payment for the pup's treatment had bounced. Officers also identified the slain puppy through a chip scan as one of the two stolen in Lombard. Pet shop employees positively identified Smith in a photo lineup.

Police arrested Smith on June 30. He was hiding in an attic. Officers also found the male puppy, unharmed, inside his home. Muhammad-Arnold was arrested later on a warrant.

The DuPage County case only deals with the theft from the pet store. Police returned the male puppy to Happiness Is Pets.