Woman Accused of Stealing Dog from Car Parked Outside Rosemount Pub

A Farmington woman has been charged with stealing a dog out of a car parked at a Rosemount pub – after first calling the police four times to complain that the dog’s welfare was in jeopardy.

Stephanie Diane Hrncir, 22, is charged with felony theft in connection with the incident last New Year’s Eve. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the complaint against Hrncir, a Rosemount police officer was sent to Shenanigans Pub early on the morning of Jan. 1 on a report of theft from a vehicle.

The car’s owner told police that he had left his dog, an Australian shepherd for which he paid $1,100, in the car while he spent about an hour in the pub.

Police received a call just before midnight that night from Hrncir, asking them to check on the welfare of a dog left in a car. A Rosemount officer went to the pub, checked on the dog and spoke to the dog’s owner, and determined that “the dog was fine and appeared to be healthy and happy and not in any stress,” the complaint says.

The officer told Hrncir that the dog was fine, that the owner would take care of the dog that that she needn’t worry, according to the complaint.

Shortly after that, police dispatch got another call from Hrncir, expressing concern about the dog’s welfare. The officer contacted her again and told her there was no cause for concern.

The complaint says Hrncir called dispatch two more times, asking for an officer to check on the dog because she believed that the animal was in distress.

After the theft was reported, police attempted to call Hrncir, but her cell phone had been turned off, the complaint says. The Rosemount officer who had been in contact with her earlier got her Farmington address and passed it on to police there.

“When the Farmington officer spoke with [Hrncir], she stated she knew why the officer was at her home and that she had the dog with her,” the complaint says.

Hrncir told police that she took the dog because nothing was being done for the animal and she believed it was cold. Police asked her what she planned to do with the dog once she got it home; she said she was going to keep it as one of her pets.

The dog was returned safely to its owner.