SAN DIEGO — The 40-year-old man accused of stealing a Miniature Goldendoodle from Campland on the Bay earlier this month was arraigned Monday afternoon.
Johnny Smith faces a felony theft charge. He pled not guilty. He posted a $20,000 bail.
The judge ordered the media to blur his face during the hearing.
However, CBS 8's Brian White caught up with Smith outside the courthouse.
Neither Smith nor his attorney had any comment.
Police say Smith stole Chancho from his crate August 2, while his family slept in a nearby tent. The Grillo family was visiting San Diego from Utah.
"What we believe is that this person was there earlier in the day, saw the dog that was there, and later came back in the middle of the night to retrieve the dog," said Captain Scott Wahl.
Police tracked down the suspect to National City August 11 and arrested him. Smith had reached out to Chancho's owner after seeing surveillance video air on CBS 8.
He claimed he bought the dog from someone at Campland on the Bay.
"We believe the suspect in this case took the Goldendoodle, brought their own leash, put it on him and walked right out the front gate," said Capt. Wahl.
CBS 8 was there as Chancho was reunited with his family. They drove all night from Utah back to San Diego to get him.
Smith is due back in court in October.
WATCH RELATED: CBS 8 reunites stolen Goldendoodle puppy Chancho with family from Utah (August 2022)