A Fort Lauderdale woman was reunited with her 6-month-old poodle after the dog was stolen along with her white Bentley Continental in broad daylight Monday afternoon in the 2700 block of Northeast 19th Street. Carolyn Kalagher’s emotional reunion with Sophie came after a good Samaritan found the dog thrown onto a road and took her to safety. The theft occurred around 2:45 p.m. when Kalagher briefly went inside a home, leaving Sophie and the key fob in her 2024 white Bentley Continental with Florida license plate RSSD40.
“You have my dog. Oh my God, he has my dog!” Kalagher said through tears when learning her puppy had been found. Surveillance video obtained exclusively by Local 10 shows a dark-colored sedan pulling up behind the Bentley before a person wearing a dark top and white pants jumped out, got into the luxury vehicle and drove away. The stolen Bentley was last seen heading south on Bayview Drive, with investigators tracking it to the 1100 block of Bayview Drive.
The thief later threw Sophie onto the road, where a neighbor spotted the dog and rushed to help, pulling her out of harm’s way before she could be struck by a vehicle. The neighbor then took Sophie to a veterinarian for care. The man later recognized the dog after seeing coverage on Local 10 and went to Kalagher’s home Tuesday morning to let her know Sophie was safe.
“God is with us - that’s what’s going through our heads,” Kalagher said. “He has a plan, and he is with us. Another little miracle.” Pawel Szenplinski, one of the people who live in the home Kalagher was visiting, witnessed the emotional reunion. “Channel 10 actually did help to find the dog, which is an amazing story cause the man couldn’t find the owner. He knew the dog had an owner (because) it’s very well trained,” said Szenplinski.
Fort Lauderdale Police confirmed the dog was returned to her owner in good condition after being found in the street by the good Samaritan. “Once they saw the news coverage [Tuesday] morning, they returned the dog to its owner,” authorities said. “Thank you for your assistance in sharing this story and helping ensure a successful and happy reunion.” The case highlights the vulnerability of pet owners who leave animals unattended in vehicles, even briefly.
Police are still searching for the stolen 2024 white Bentley Continental, described as a two-door sedan with Florida tag RSSD40. The vehicle remains missing as investigators continue their search for the suspect who committed the daylight theft in the Northeast 19th Street area. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the Bentley should call Fort Lauderdale Police as the investigation continues.