URBANA — A Champaign man who allegedly had a woman’s stolen dog in the trunk of a car has been charged with felony theft.
Antoine Jones, 20, who listed an address in the 2500 block of West Springfield Avenue, was arraigned Friday by Judge Anna Benjamin for allegedly stealing an American bulldog from a Champaign woman.
A Champaign police report said a woman called police Thursday to say her two American bulldogs had been taken from their backyard kennels late Wednesday or early Thursday. She said she bought the dogs less than a year ago for $5,000. A witness told police he saw Jones walking the missing dogs. Police contacted Jones, who denied having the dogs but said he might have had one at some point.
Not long after, police stopped a car Jones was in as it left an apartment complex. Jones said his sister had been in possession of one of the dogs but that someone stole it from her apartment. He continued to deny having either of the animals. The car owner gave police permission to search the vehicle, and one of the dogs was found in the trunk. It was returned to its owner.
Jones admitted to police that he was going to try to return the dog for a reward.
Not long after police found that dog, the second missing dog was dropped off at the owner’s home by an unknown woman, the police report said.
Benjamin allowed Jones, who has no known prior convictions, to be released on his own recognizance. He’s due back in court Nov. 8.
If convicted of theft, he faces penalties ranging from probation to two to five years in prison.