Stolen truck found in SC, but dog taken with it is still missing. $10K reward remains
The man accused of stealing a pickup truck from outside a Lowe’s store in South Carolina before Christmas has been caught, media outlets report.
But 2-year-old lab mix who was in the cab at the time is still missing.
Deputies with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard Rawlings, Jr. around 4 p.m. Thursday, WCSC reported. North Charleston Police spotted Rawlings in the stolen truck and tried to stop it, according to the media outlet.
Rawlings ran but was apprehended after “a several-hour manhunt,” WCIV reported. He’s been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle.
The dog, Bella, was nowhere to be found.
Owner Ben Brengle has orchestrated a large-scale search effort since Bella went missing with his white Chevy Silverado from the Lowe’s in North Charleston on Dec. 22, The State reported.
He told WCIV Thursday that law enforcement think Bella “either escaped or was let out of the vehicle in the area of Northwoods Mall shortly after the truck was stolen.”
Dozens of sightings have been posted to the “Find Bella of Charleston, SC” Facebook page or called in.
“Bella is still missing but we’re close,” Brengle said on the page after Rawlings’ arrest.
Brengle is offering a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to Bella’s return. He also offered a $5,000 reward for the “identity, arrest and conviction of the perpetrator who stole her,” according to a post on his personal Facebook page from Dec. 25.
The award for Bella still stands.
Bella is spayed, weighs 40 pounds and has a broken tail and a pink nose. She’s not wearing a collar.
Brengle warned she’s also a rescue who “has come a long way in terms of trust.”
“When approaching her she will either be extremely timid and run or she will bark aggressively and stand her ground, no in between,” he said on Facebook. “She will not bite however. She takes well to people crouched down to her level with the palm up, underhand approach.”
Tips can be sent to the Instagram account @Find.Bella or called in at 1-833-MYBELLA.
