PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Police in Florida are searching for the suspects who stole more than a dozen animals from a home during a break-in.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department said in a news release that officers were called for a residential burglary at 11:21 a.m. Friday. Police said the suspects shattered a bedroom window and stole 19 French bulldogs from inside the home. The dogs were valued at more than $100,000.
Police said the suspects fled in a silver four-door vehicle with front bumper damage.
Photos shared by the police department show a shattered window with broken glass on the floor.
According to the American Kennel Club. French bulldogs are the second-most popular dog breed, beaten only by the Labrador retriever, which has held the No. 1 spot since 1991.
Thieves have increasingly targeted French bulldogs, often violently, The New York Times reported. A warning in a Facebook group devoted to lost French bulldogs warns, “Do not let it get out of your sight … criminals are making more money from stealing Frenchies than robbing convenience stores,” the newspaper reported.