Salon 52 owner Ann Nguyen was cutting a client's hair when a man she didn't recognize came into the shop and requested a walk-in appointment. She asked him to return at a later time, but he insisted on waiting in the lobby area. When Nguyen turned her back, the man snatched Hachi, her beloved Frenchie, and ran out the door.
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"It shouldn't have happened to her or her husband... they're great people," said customer Stephanie Newman, who visited the salon the day after Hachi was taken. "When someone just comes and steals a dog like that, it's like you don't know the health or history of this dog."
Nguyen says Hachi, who was named after the famous Japanese dog, Hachiko, suffers from a medical condition and requires extra care.
"I cannot imagine... one guy coming into the shop and taking my Hachi like that," said Nguyen.
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Many customers have played with the 4-year-old Frenchie since he was born and can't believe that he's now missing.
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"Beautiful dog and very friendly with people," said customer Manny Navarro, who expressed his disbelief over the ordeal. "When I think about the possibility of my dog getting stolen like that, it's like losing your child. It's heartbreaking."
Police have described the suspect as a Hispanic man in his mid-to-late 30's, wearing a black baseball cap, and a black and blue vertical striped hoodie.
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Thursday afternoon, Nguyen fought back tears as she delivered this message for the man who took him: "Take good care of my dog. If you cannot... give it back to me, please."
Nguyen is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to Hachi's return.