Surveillance Footage Shows Man Stealing Rescued Pit Bulls From Paterson Shelter

PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Two pit bulls were stolen from a New Jersey animal shelter, and new video could help crack the case of who did it.

The dogs had been rescued from a dog fighting ring, and surveillance video that has just surfaced shows exactly how there were taken.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, a man in dark blue sweats with the hood pulled up walked up to the animals in their fenced in areas. He walked back and forth peering inside until he found what he was looking for.

The man cut the fence, and once through, coaxed the dog over to him, grabbed the dog, and took off.

Two black, male, pit bulls were stolen. Holes were left behind in the fence at Paterson Animal Control.

The dogs were plucked from their enclosures on Tuesday after being recovered from a dog fighting ring.

The Passaic County SPCA believes the dogs were targeted because of their aggression towards other animals.

"They stole the two dogs that were their prized dogs. They're very expensive. Probably worth $10,000 each," Robert Boyle, Passaic County ASPCA said.

John deCando with Paterson Animal Control agreed.

"Why retrain another dog when you already have a dog that's trying to kill another dog," he said.

The dogs were saved earlier in May, as a dog fight was going on in a building at East 16th Street in Paterson.

An organization called Pathway to Hope was rehabilitating the stolen dogs.

The Paterson Police Department has offered a cash reward. In addition the Humane Society has also offered a reward of $5,000 for the arrest of the suspect, and a safe return of the two dogs.