Two Oklahoma car burglary suspects apparently had several things they were willing to leave behind when police closed in, and their dog unfortunately made the list. Tulsa Police say the pair abandoned their Cadillac and the animal before running into a neighborhood, leaving officers to track down more than just the suspects.
The incident began on the morning of September 4, when a woman stopped for gas near 91st and Yale in Tulsa. While she was occupied with the pump, surveillance footage reviewed by police showed a dark green Cadillac STS pull alongside her vehicle and a woman get out, open the victim’s car, and leave with her purse.
Tulsa Police worked with the department’s Real Time Information Center and used Automatic License Plate Readers to identify and track the Cadillac. Officers found the vehicle outside a Reasors near 71st and Sheridan at around 4 p.m., but police say the driver took off when they attempted a traffic stop.
Officers declined to pursue because of traffic, but another officer spotted the Cadillac driving recklessly a few minutes later as someone threw the victim’s purse out of a window. After the Cadillac struck another median, police say the occupants ditched the vehicle, left their dog behind, and ran into a nearby neighborhood.
The Suspects Ran, but Their Dog Stayed Behind
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Police identified the driver as 46-year-old Noah Pepera and said he discarded a container of fentanyl while fleeing on foot. Officers eventually caught both Pepera and his passenger, 42-year-old Mary Edwards, who police said matched the woman captured on surveillance taking the purse.
Pepera was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, while Edwards was arrested for burglary from a vehicle and conspiracy to commit a felony. Police emphasized that the arrests are not convictions and did not list an animal cruelty charge for either suspect.
We checked out their names on the City of Tulsa Jail inmate directory, but were unable to locate additional information about their arrests.
Meanwhile, the dog left behind during the escape needed somewhere to go after its owners were taken into custody. Officers said they tracked down the animal and helped arrange for friends of the suspects to pick it up rather than leaving its fate unresolved after the arrests.
Comments and Reactions to the Tulsa Car Burglary Arrests
Forget the Cadillac, the discarded purse, and even the fentanyl for a moment because plenty of commenters had one immediate concern: “Not the dog!!! Don’t leave the dog!!!” Another asked whether the suspects would face an animal cruelty charge, while someone else simply announced, “I want the little old man/girl!”
Others weren’t particularly eager to see the animal reunited with the people accused of abandoning it during their escape. “I hope the friends don’t give the poor dog back,” one person wrote, while another hoped the animal was “going to new owners.”
There was also plenty of appreciation for how officers handled the unexpected four-legged part of the situation. One commenter thanked police for finding someone who could take the dog instead of automatically sending it to a shelter, calling it a “much better outcome for all involved, most importantly the dog.”