Emergency room nurse from California Shaila Sheikh took home a new family member two weeks ago – a Malinois puppy they named Max.
The dog had brought so much joy into their household since he came to live with them. When she would come home from work, the puppy would shower her with lots of love. Shaila knew that Max was the perfect addition to their family. So when an unidentified man took the dog from their home last Saturday, they were all devastated.
The 11-week-old puppy was taken from the garage of Shaila’s residence in Montgomery Avenue in Concord, California around 10 a.m. last Saturday. Surveillance footage shows the innocent pooch being taken away by the unidentified thief on a gold and white bicycle. The Concord Police Department has since put out notices about the kidnapping incident.
Authorities described the suspect as an “adult male, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt (red patches on elbows), dark ball cap, blue jeans, dark shoes, and blue rubber gloves.”
Shaila was at work as an emergency room nurse at a local hospital when the incident occurred. Her family only had the dog for two weeks when he was snatched from his kennel.
“I was heartbroken,” she said. “Max was helping us start over as a family. I had just moved and it was my kids and me. We had started a new chapter, and Max was an early birthday present for my son.”
Shaila’s kids are devastated about Max’s disappearance; they’ve been missing him so much. The dog’s absence in the home is palpable. There’s no puppy to greet her by the door when she comes home from work. Their house is quieter, and there’s a void where he used to be. The family is incomplete without Max in the picture.
But they remain hopeful. Thankfully, Shaila’s family and coworkers have been very supportive ever since it happened. They’ve even helped her raise reward money.
On Monday, the department shared a photo of the suspect holding Max under his arm while stealing him from the home of the emergency room nurse.
“We’re hoping something helps someone recognize this man,” the police wrote on Facebook.
As of Tuesday, there hasn’t been a significant lead in this case. If you have information about Max’s whereabouts and the thief’s identity, you may contact the Concord Dispatch at (925) 671-3333 and refer to case #20-4193.
The more this story is shared on social media, the higher the chances are of finding Max. Please share this with your friends and family and encourage them to pass it on!
Here is the video of the bad man taking Max as released by the police department :