Three people are facing charges after a vehicle was stolen with a dog inside, prompting the dog’s owners to pursue the thieves across Pictou County to track down their pet.

Maggi MacDonald and Peter Leblanc managed to track down their stolen car and dog in Alma, N.S., after it was taken from the parking lot of the New Glasgow Sobeys. The couple confronted the three people inside the car, who fled on foot.

On Monday, New Glasgow Regional Police said a 32-year-old man is facing multiple charges in relation to the June 11 incident, including:

• Theft of a motor vehicle
• Possession of property obtained by crime
• Flight from police
• Dangerous operation of a vehicle
• Fraud under $5,000
• Theft of property — namely, Tim, a four-year-old Lab-husky mix 

Because the theft took place in New Glasgow but some of the alleged crimes took place in another jurisdiction, both New Glasgow Police and the Nova Scotia RCMP laid charges. 

The RCMP said in an email that three individuals have been charged with possession of property obtained by crime.

Reached for comment Monday, Maggi MacDonald said she’s thrilled to see charges laid.

“It’s like Christmas morning,” she said. “It meant so much to us that they had a charge for stealing Tim as well.”

Both police departments stressed Monday, however, that civilians should not attempt to follow the couple’s lead and track down suspects themselves. 

“We do not condone anyone to go after a suspect, because there’s a huge life and safety element there that could get someone hurt, especially if the person is a victim themselves,” said Const. Ken MacDonald of the New Glasgow Police.

The police officer noted that the car theft was a “crime of opportunity,” because the vehicle was left running in the parking lot with the air conditioning on for the safety of the animal while the owner went into Sobeys.

He said many people in the area have a “strong sense of safety,” but in this case, more caution could have been used. 

“The unfortunate part is that we do have to secure our items and secure our vehicles as well as our homes,” Const. MacDonald said.

WATCH | Their dog was stolen. Then came the car chase:

How this couple recovered their stolen car — and their dog

How far would you go to rescue your pet from thieves? Well, one Nova Scotia couple took matters into their own hands last week when their vehicle was stolen — with their dog still inside. The CBC’s Aly Thomson has their story.

Maggi MacDonald said she and her boyfriend weren’t thinking of their own safety after learning their dog had been stolen.

“We were just thinking of getting the dog back. That’s all we cared about. I feel like it would be the same reaction if someone stole our kid,” she said.

Since the incident, however, MacDonald said the couple no longer feels comfortable bringing Tim on drives if there’s a chance he’ll be left unaccompanied. 

“Which sucks because he loves his car rides, but that’s just the world we live in, and we’re not taking that chance again.” 

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