Warren police say a family’s missing pup did not just wander off and get lucky. Instead, they allege 21-year-old Lemarzay Tolbert wound up with the Richardson family’s Alaskan Klee Kai, Disel, and then tried to turn a lost dog into a quick payday.
Officers tracked Tolbert to a Warren home after days of frantic searching by the family and a flood of social media posts about the missing dog. Detectives say those posts prompted a string of bogus texts and calls from someone claiming to have Disel and asking for money. When police went to Tolbert’s address, they say they heard a dog barking inside, waited until Tolbert walked out, then took him into custody and reunited Disel with the Richardsons.
According to WXYZ, Tolbert is charged with one count of receiving and concealing stolen property. Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido told the station the money demand “crossed a legal line,” adding, “They were holding the dog ransom for a certain price by making that statement.” The family told WXYZ they were relieved to have “our best friend back” and urged others to be cautious about anyone who asks for cash to return a missing pet.
How Investigators Say The Ransom Play Unfolded
According to FOX 2 Detroit, Disel slipped away from a fenced yard on April 25 in the 21000 block of Waltham. The desperate family’s online pleas for help soon drew messages demanding money for the dog’s safe return. Investigators traced those texts to a phone number linked to Tolbert’s residence and headed to the home, where they reported hearing a dog barking inside. FOX 2 reports Tolbert told the family he had bought the dog off the street and wanted cash to give him back.
Police: A Refusal At The Door
Warren Police Detective Daniel Toth told WXYZ that officers knocked on the door, heard barking and watched as Tolbert “opened up the door and there was the dog,” but he allegedly refused to hand Disel over. Police arrested Tolbert after he left the home, Toth said, while a second person inside cooperated with officers and allowed the dog to be turned back over to the Richardsons. According to the station, police say Tolbert has no significant prior criminal history.
Charges, Bond And A Community Warning
FOX 2 Detroit reports Tolbert received a $1,000 cash or surety bond, and prosecutors say the case will continue through the Macomb County court system. Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins told the station it was “truly disheartening” that anyone would try to profit from a family’s loss and urged residents to report any suspicious money demands tied to online lost-pet posts. FOX 2 added that anyone with additional information is asked to contact Warren police.
