MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Petland store in Shakopee isn’t just a place to buy pets. It’s a place to watch them play, or even cuddle with them.

So it wasn’t unusual when a man asked to see the chihuahua puppy around 11 a.m. Monday morning.

“He said he hadn’t had a puppy since he was a kid. So she took him over to one of our playrooms here,” said Heather Latko, owner of the Petland in Shakopee.

The surveillance video shows what happened next.

“His hat blocked his head really good,” she said.

When the store employee left to get the puppy’s papers, the man looked around, opened the door and took off with the $2,500 dog.

(credit: Petland)

“We have 16 cameras in the store and every single angle will be on camera one way or another,” said Jeff Latko, Petland owner.

He hit the exit and two employees chased after him.

They saw him get into a dark blue Volkswagen Passat and gave police a description.

Store owners worry about the missing puppy because he’s had trouble keeping on weight, and needs frequent vet checks.

But a vet trip would reveal who he is.

“They have the microchip inside of them and it will show up that this puppy is stolen,” he said.

The man is described as a white man, around 6-feet-tall and wearing a gray knitted hat.

Employees said the Passat had a license plate of 768 BDA.

A lost pet alert was issued. The notice can be seen here.

If anyone has information about the stolen puppy, they are asked to contact Shakopee police or helpmefindmypet at 866-699-3463.

The store has had two pets stolen in the past but both were recovered.