SAN DIEGO — Two beloved dogs and a car are stolen after someone took them from a parking lot in the El Cerrito neighborhood.
The owner of the car and dogs, Braden Frederick, said it happened at “Crunch Fitness” in El Cerrito.
“Winston is a good boy, he seems calm but he’s got his wild side,” Frederick said. “Xena, she’s the most precious dog in the world, I got her for my birthday as a present to myself and Winston.”
His dogs, “Winston Bolt” and “Xena,” mean the world to him. Winston is a 3-year-old French Bulldog, and Xena is a 2-year-old Boston Terrier. They are small packages that pack a mighty character.
Winston holds the Official World Record for the world’s fastest French Bulldog. Winston is also the American Kennel Club’s Fast Cat, overall, the fastest French bulldog.
Xena races too, ranking 20th out of 100 dogs in her breed. She is also deaf with heterochromia eyes.
On Tuesday, Frederick said someone stole them.
“I can’t even describe it with words, I really can’t,” Frederick said.
Frederick stepped into the “Crunch Fitness” on University Avenue for a few minutes to use the bathroom. Frederick then said he left his dogs in the car, with the AC running.
“And then I came out, a bike was in the parking spot, and everything was gone,” Frederick said.
Frederick shared with FOX 5 San Diego, surveillance video from a nearby store. It shows a person on a bike riding past Frederick’s car, they open the door, get in and drive away.
“I felt like it wasn’t even real, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I felt so violated,” Frederick explained. “I’m feeling like I have to be strong for them, I’m trying really hard.”
Frederick admits, he knew the risks of leaving them in the car.
“In hindsight, it was probably really dumb,” Frederick said. “I just know Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs are really sensitive to heat. And I was careless in that sense, and this is something that happens you got to learn from it.”
“My car could be destroyed, on fire, it doesn’t matter to me, if my dogs are okay, I’m fine,” Frederick said.
Frederick drives a gray 2014 Toyota Camry SE with a pet-safe temperature sticker on the back windshield. The license plate number is 8FDE877.
