Family’s stolen dog found by police inside car, California video shows. ‘Is that Tucker?’

A routine traffic stop reunited a family with their stolen dog, California police reported.

A Chihuahua named Tucker was reported stolen from a family’s front yard over the weekend, Santa Ana police said in a Tuesday, Feb. 18, post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A video with the post shows an officer arresting a driver after a traffic stop.

“Remember when I asked you if there’s anything illegal in the car?” the officer asks. “What’s that dog’s name?”

The man mumbles that it’s his friend’s dog, but other officers searching the vehicle say they recognize the family’s missing dog.

“Is that Tucker?” the arresting officer asks his colleagues.

“Is that dog’s name Tucker?” he asks the driver, who says it is.

“That’s an unlucky name for you,” the officer replies.

Police did not identify the man or the charges he faces.

Tucker, found inside a cloth basket in the backseat, was later safely returned to his owners, police said.

“A happy ending for this pup,” police said.

Santa Ana is about a 30-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles.

This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Family’s stolen dog found by police inside car, California video shows. ‘Is that Tucker?’."