Palms Casino Resort Puppy Theft Leads to Massive Search in Las Vegas

Posted on: July 19, 2023, 09:12h. 

Last updated on: July 20, 2023, 05:00h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Danny, a 10-week-old Pomeranian puppy, was stolen on June 28 from the Palms Casino Resort.

Danny, a puppy
Danny, a puppy, pictured above. He was stolen from the Palms Casino last month. (Image: Gary Stout)

He has not been seen since, and his co-owner, Gary Stout, has been searching for him daily. Stout is now offering a $1K reward for Danny’s return, with no questions asked.

Danny is described as almost completely black with a white patch of fur on his chest and the tips of his paws, according to Las Vegas TV station KTNV. The dog was last seen in a black carrier on the floor near Stout’s girlfriend while she was at the Palms.

The puppy, if sold by the thief, could fetch a few thousand dollars, given its breed, according to KTNV. If there are new owners, they may not realize the puppy was stolen or that the legal owners were searching for him.

Thief Caught on Tape

Earlier this month, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers provided Stout photos and video of the suspected puppy-napper.

On Wednesday, LVMPD officers posted photos and a description on social media of the thief. He was wearing a green hat, a white T-shirt, and black pants at the time of the crime. The LVMPD said its detectives “are seeking the public’s assistance to identify [the] … suspect involved in the theft of a dog that occurred … in the 4300 block of West Flamingo Road.”

It is believed the dog thief grabbed the carrier and put the puppy in bushes at the Palms. Two hours later, he picked up the dog and carried it with him as he walked toward the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, KTNV reported.

There are also several apartment buildings near the Gold Coast.

Couples Continues Search

Stout spends many nights out on the streets of Las Vegas, asking pedestrians if they have seen the dog. Recovering the dog is very important to him and his girlfriend.

You know, we don’t have any kids,” Stout recently told KTNV. “That is my kid, in my eyes. Any true dog owner would understand it.”

The couple had owned the puppy for about a month when it was stolen. They planned to put a microchip in Danny when he was given his first round of shots. But Danny, being a few weeks old, was too young to get those shots. So they waited, not expecting the theft of their beloved pet.

They continue to wait and search for his safe return.