Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Lucky Whitehead said Monday that his dog, Blitz, was stolen from him and is being held for ransom money.
Whitehead first broke the news that his dog was stolen in an Instagram post and then talked more about the crime in an interview with KXAS-TV in Dallas.
Whitehead, who was in Florida when the dog was stolen along with a couple of pairs of shoes and some bags, said initially that the unknown robbers demanded $10,000 for the return of his dog.
He said the man calling from the unknown phone number asked: "How much is the dog mean to you?" and said if he wanted his dog returned, "you got to cut a check." Whitehead said at first he wasn't sure if the situation were a "sick joke."
He said he refused to write a check for $10,000 but agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of cash for the dog after first making sure the dog is OK. He hasn't heard back since.
Whitehead said he contacted detectives but was told the calls and texts couldn't be traced because they came from a "burner phone."
"It's killing me. It hurts because I don't know how he's being treated. I wasn't here to protect him. It's sickening."Lucky Whitehead
"It's killing me. It hurts because I don't know how he's being treated. I wasn't here to protect him. It's sickening," he said.
Whitehead said he has had Blitz for nine weeks and got the dog shipped from San Diego, California. He said he and Blitz "pretty much went everywhere together" and "hang out all the time."
Whitehead said he believes the theft of his dog was planned.
"It was an inside job. It was all set up. I don't know by who, I don't want to point fingers the wrong way, but I'm checking everybody. Hopefully it comes up soon," he said.
He said he isn't worrying about the shoes or bags that were stolen. He only wants Blitz back.
"The damage is done. As long as my dog is OK. I just want the dog back. Everything else they took, more power to them. The dog means a ton," he said. "I was willing to do what I had to do [to] get him back. If they have any piece of a heart, just give him to someone else to give back to me. I just want the dog back."