As Christmas is just around the corner, the Franklin Police Department in Tennessee, United States has been collecting toys to donate to children in need. However, the toys have gone missing one by one.
Luckily, the police were able to immediately identify the suspect, and even caught the culprit in the act: it was Ben Franklin, the station’s therapy Golden Retriever.
Ben was caught in the act on camera with his latest loot — a baby doll. The police posted the video of the dog’s mischief on Facebook last Thursday, Dec. 19.
“We learned an extremely valuable lesson today,” the Franklin Police Department noted. “When you have a classroom full of toys ready to be shipped off to the Santa Foundation, you should… 1. Close the door to the classroom or 2. Keep the toys elevated.”
“If not, a golden retriever will slowly hoard them throughout the day and bring them back to his lair,” the police said. “Thanks to Officer Cusson for capturing this larceny on camera.”
Even after getting caught, Ben can be seen trying to evade the cops in the video, and refused to give up his freshly stolen baby doll.
“Where are you going with the baby, Ben?” an officer asked as he chased the toy thief. It did not stop Ben, however, as he still took the toy to his “lair”: his bed under a desk, along with all the other toys he took.
“Oh, you are priceless! He’s gonna stockpile toys over there, he keeps bringing them in there,” the officer said.
Police said Ben gets to keep all toys as they will just replace them, but he is now banned from the station’s classroom, where the donation area is located.
“It was an easy solution. Ben here is now banned from this room. I mean, he’s gotten his slobber all over them at this point so the police department has replaced them,” Franklin Police Department deputy chief James Mill told Fox-affiliate WFXT on Dec. 19.
Despite Ben’s “crime,” however, everyone still cannot get enough of him, and everyone still loves the furry thief.
“He has the run of the station and it’s amazing. It’s amazing,” Mill said. “He’s like that guy who shows up to the party that everyone loves and seriously, if Ben walks in, it’s like a ray of sunshine.” JB
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