The owners of a pet shop in New Jersey are offering a $2,000 reward for the return of a stolen puppy.

It happened around 1:15 p.m. Thursday at The Pet Shoppe located on State Route 35 in Middletown.

Surveillance video appears to show the suspect playing with the 9-week-old cockapoo before scooping up the puppy and running off.

"I was right at the counter with him," owner Dana DiEugenio said. "We've been in business 15 years. This has never happened before, and I didn't expect him to run out with a puppy. So when he ran out, I was shocked. And my first instinct is go run after him. I ran after him outside. He had a getaway car waiting for him in a different parking lot, and he got into the back of the vehicle and took off."