NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — An Uber Eats driver turned himself in to police on Friday for allegedly dognapping a Brooklyn woman’s puppy for more than three days, according to the dog’s owner and authorities.
The man, 32-year-old East Flatbush resident Michael Gardner, surrendered himself around noon at the 70th Precinct where he was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, officials said.
“I’m definitely happy. All my nerves and anxiety went away when I found out he turned himself in,” the dog owner, Melanie Polanco, told The New York Post. “I want him to do his time, I want him to get punished for what he did, because he did it with intent.”
The strange dognapping happened on Saturday when Gardner allegedly stole Ella, Polanco’s 6-month-old Cocker Spaniel Poodle, from the hallway of her Flatbush apartment building after the dog slipped away from her apartment, and then paid a man to return the pup three days later.
After realizing Ella was gone Saturday evening, Polanco spotted Gardner on surveillance footage taking the dog after delivering a pizza to her home, Gardner said.
Gardner contacted Polanco on Tuesday when he saw himself on the news and said he took Ella because he thought she was lost, Polanco told the Post, and then Gardner paid a man to bring the dog back later that day.
Polanco said she still plans to file a restraining order against Gardner despite his arrest. Gardner was also grounded by Uber while the incident is being investigated.
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