Couple increases reward for dog that went missing after vehicle stolen
BURTON, Mich. (WJRT) – A Metro Detroit couple continues searching every day for their dog, which was stolen in their SUV outside the Starlite Diner in Burton on the same day their other dog died.
There was no sign of Penny 10 days after she was stolen on Feb. 23 outside the restaurant while her owners, Christopher and Brittany Lasage, dined inside with relatives while mourning the death of their other dog, Peaches.
The Lasages have traveled up to Genesee County from their home in Garden City near Detroit for the past 10 days to continue the search for Penny. They increased their reward to $2,500 for anyone who returns the dog.
“We are mentally exhausted, physically exhausted,” Brittany said of the couple’s 10-day ordeal.
She, her husband, their family and their friends have plastered the Flint area with posters of Penny. They also have turned into amateur sleuths, looking for clues that may lead them to the missing dog.
The ordeal started when the Lasages had to put Peaches to sleep on Feb. 23. They drove to the Starlite Diner in Burton for dinner with family in the area to escape their sorrow.
The Lasages left Penny in their SUV with the engine running right outside the window where they were sitting. Brittany’s dad left his iPhone in the SUV to charge the battery, which helped police track the vehicle.
Police eventually found the stolen SUV with the iPhone inside, but there was no sign of Penny. Investigators arrested 24-year-old Dahjuan Marqell Lee on charges of unlawful driving away of an automobile and assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.
Lee was held on $10,000 bond after arraignment in Genesee County District Court. He is awaiting a probable cause conference on March 9.
Police and the Lasages say Lee has provided conflicting information about where Penny may be. He initially said Penny got dropped off at the Sunoco gas station at Flushing and Ballenger roads in Flint, then indicated he brought her back to Starlite Diner.
“We don’t care that he stole the car. We don’t care he stole the dog. We just want the dog back,” Christopher Lasage said.
Penny is more than just a pet for the Lasages. She’s the light of their family.
“We don’t want to get anyone into any trouble,” Brittany said. “We just want our dog back. She means more to us than any money or any car could throw at us. She’s like our kid.”
Penny is microchipped and walks with a limp. Anyone who sees her should call the Lasages at 734-751-6783 to return her and collect the reward.