BREWER, Maine — Police recovered a stolen puppy and returned it to its owner on Monday thanks to a tip from a citizen who saw the puppy inside a vehicle.
Owner Karissa Beam, of Ellsworth, got a call in early March that her puppy, Serenity, was missing just weeks after adopting her from a close family member.
Immediately she sprung to action, posting multiple Facebook posts and hanging up posters across town to get the community's attention.
"The one identifying mark that she has is her big spot," Beam said.
Afterward, hundreds reached out to the family to report similar-looking dogs, all in a scramble to find Serenity.
"The response, everybody just kept sharing and sharing, it was phenomenal," Karissa's mother Denise Beam said.
Just before all hope was lost, Karissa was informed the Brewer Police Department may have found her lost dog.
A tip came in around 10:45 p.m. from someone who said they saw the dog in a vehicle on Wilson Street and recognized it from social media posts in recent days, according to a release from Brewer police.
Officer Chris Woodman reportedly located the vehicle in the parking lot of the Brewer Walmart and spoke with occupants, who denied the dog was inside the car.
Brewer officers said they then saw Jacob Carney, 31, of Eastbrook, who had active bail conditions, exit the store. Police determined that Carney had been driving the vehicle and eventually retrieved the stolen dog after seeing part of the puppy under a blanket on the floorboard, the release stated.
Carney was arrested for violation of release conditions and taken to the Penobscot County Jail. Brewer police are coordinating with the Maine State Police, who initially investigated the theft of the dog in Hancock County. Additional charges are forthcoming, police said.
Sgt. Zachary Caron with the Brewer Police Department said it was surprising the passerby was able to recognize the small pup from Beam's missing posts.
"It doesn't happen often for sure," Caron said, who was on the scene. "The puppy was pretty cute so maybe that's why they were able to remember them."
The puppy was taken back to the Brewer Police Department and later reunited with its owner.
"I noticed instantly the dots on her ears and I was like that's her, that's her. I already know," Karissa said.
"She knew right away when my daughter picked her up that, 'There's my owners,'" Denise added.
For the latest breaking news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app.