Police in San Mateo rescued a pilfered pooch after a masked man stole it from a woman walking the dog, the department said Tuesday.

A woman was walking her daughter's poodle in the area of Palm Avenue by Hayward Avenue on Monday just after 9 a.m. when a masked suspect approached her from behind, according to police. The suspect grabbed the leash and tried to pull the dog away, nearly making the woman fall. The suspect was able to unhook the dog and enter a nearby vehicle, fleeing with the pup.

Investigators spoke with witnesses and managed to stop the suspected vehicle on Highway 101, just north of Marsh Road.

Arrested on suspicion of second-degree robbery was David Frankhauser. Police allege it was a "targeted incident" involving people who knew each other.

The dog was returned to its

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