Missing dog returned to owners

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (WSVN) -- The man caught on surveillance video stealing a Maltese known as Lebron from a South Florida home, said it was all a misunderstanding.

Tuesday night, a South Florida couple was heartbroken after they thought their 9-month-old Maltese was stolen.

It turned out the man who had their dog said he found the dog on the street and took the dog home because he felt like that was the best thing to do.

James Faulk and his wife Vanessa had been worrying about their dog for days, but now Lebron is back home. "He means everything to us," said James. "He's like a son."

"I was just happy," said Vanessa. "Happy to see him."

The Faulk's said they are very close to their dog and were heartbroken when they saw what surveillance video caught on their front lawn Monday.

Lebron was playing in the backyard and slipped under the wooden fence. While he was in the street, an SUV stopped in front of the home. A man got out of the car, picked up the dog and went to the Faulk's front door, but eventually drove off with Lebron.

The Faulk's thought the man had taken Lebron. On Wednesday, the man dropped off the Maltese. "It's a blessing," said James. "Thank you. Thank God. We had some sleepless nights."

The man in the surveillance video was Tony Williams. He told 7News he almost hit Lebron with his SUV and was worried someone abandoned him. Williams said he checked the nearest home and no one appeared to be inside, so he took the dog to his home. "I said, this is not a street dog," said Tony. "So I got out, went up to it, it came to me."

William's claimed he didn't steal the dog. He said he just did not want to see it get hit by a car, and that he looked for missing posters with a photo of the  Maltese but did not see any.

A day later, William's co-workers told him about the surveillance video they saw on 7News. At that point, he said he knew the dog had some very worried owners. Williams then knew where to drop Lebron off.

"I'd like to thank the guy for eventually returning him back coz he didn't have to," said James.

The couple gave Williams $100 for returning the dog.

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