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Collared!
An Uber Eats driver who allegedly dognapped a Brooklyn woman’s puppy for more than three days turned himself in to police Friday, according to cops and the pet owner.
Michael Gardner, 32, of East Flatbush surrendered himself at the 70th precinct around noon and was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, according to police.
“I’m definitely happy. All my nerves and anxiety went away when I found out he turned himself in,” the dog owner, Melanie Polanco, 22, told The Post.
“I want him to do his time, I want him to get punished for what he did, because he did it with intent.”
Gardner allegedly snatched Polanco’s adorable 6-month-old Cocker Spaniel Poodle mix, Ella, in a hallway of her Flatbush apartment building Saturday, then bizarrely paid a man to return her three days later.
Polanco first realized Ella was missing Saturday evening after Gardner delivered a pizza to her home — then allegedly spotted him on surveillance footage making off with the pup, she said.
She believes Ella, who was not wearing a collar, slipped out of her apartment and into the hallway when she briefly left the door ajar.
After seeing himself on the news, Gardner called Polanco on Tuesday and told her he took the pooch because he thought she was “lost, ” Polanco said. He allegedly paid a man to bring the dog back to later that day, she said.
On Friday, Polanco said she’s relieved Gardner was arrested but still plans to file a restraining order against him.
“I can breathe now. I don’t have to worry that he’s out there knowing my address and everything,” she said.
Gardner was grounded by Uber as it investigated the alleged heist earlier this week.
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