"If You Return the Dog, I'll Give You 500 Million"… Lady Gaga Also Fell Victim to the Surging New 'Dog Thieves'

Lady Gaga / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Singer Lady Gaga was not spared from dog theft. As the demand for pets has increased with more people staying at home during the COVID-19 era, theft incidents have become frequent, and it has been revealed that two of Lady Gaga's dogs were stolen in an armed robbery.

According to AP News and others on the 25th (local time), the Los Angeles (LA) Police Department in California announced that a dog walker (a person who walks dogs on behalf of the owner) who was walking three of Lady Gaga's dogs was shot and collapsed on the night of the 24th.

According to the police, the assistant was attacked by two men who got out of a vehicle. The assailants tried to steal Gaga's dogs, and the assistant was shot while fighting to prevent it. Among Gaga's three dogs, one fled the shooting scene and was rescued safely, but the other two were stolen.

Lady Gaga offered a reward of $500,000 (about 550 million KRW), promising no questions asked if the dogs were returned. Gaga is known for her great love for her dogs, having appeared with them at events such as the American Music Awards and the 2017 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The stolen dogs are French Bulldogs, which typically sell for around $2,000 (about 2.2 million KRW) in the U.S. It is reported that if the pedigree is excellent, they can be traded for up to $10,000 (about 11 million KRW).

Lady Gaga's Pets / Photo by Lady Gaga Instagram Capture

Meanwhile, experts pointed out that 'dog theft' incidents have been rampant recently as more people stay at home due to COVID-19.

Justin Quark of DogLost said, "Due to COVID-19 lockdown measures, many people thought it was a good time to adopt dogs, so demand increased," adding, "As the perception that dogs are 'valuable goods' spread, theft incidents have increased."

Neil Austin, a detective from the UK's National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), said, "Many people do not properly protect their privacy when posting photos of their dogs on social media and sometimes include hashtags revealing where they live, so caution is needed," adding, "Preventive measures to avoid theft, such as avoiding leaving dogs alone in public places as much as possible, are necessary."