An 18-year-old Cornelius man was arrested after he stole two puppies and later abandoned them. Deputies are asking for the public's assistance in locating the missing animals.
Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report of two puppies that had been stolen near a residence in the 2000 block of North Fremont Street in Cornelius.
During the investigation, deputies learned that two American Bully puppies escaped from their yard sometime before 9 a.m. Tuesday morning. The owners posted about their missing dogs on social media and received a tip later in the day that a man had been seen with the puppies at a nearby apartment complex.
Based on the description provided and the location where the suspect had last been seen, deputies interviewed a person of interest, 18-year-old Sheikhnoor Abdi of Cornelius.
During the interview, Adbi admitted to finding the lost puppies and taking them even though he believed they likely belonged to someone else. After realizing he would not be able to keep them, Adbi told deputies he abandoned the puppies near the railroad tracks in the vicinity of North 26th Avenue and North Fremont Street.
Abdi was arrested and lodged at the Washington County Jail for two counts of theft in the first degree, a felony.
The abandoned puppies have not been located, and deputies are asking for the public's assistance finding them. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cornelius deputies by call (503) 629-0111.