Suspect threatened to ‘hurt kids’ before speeding off in stolen SUV with family dog in backseat, victim says

A man whose vehicle was stolen moments after he dropped his daughter off at her Etobicoke school told CityNews the suspect threatened to injure children at the school if he didn’t comply, eventually speeding away with the family dog still in the backseat.

“I was taking my daughter to school this morning, and at the last minute, I thought I’d bring the dog along,” Josh Miller told CityNews hours after the harrowing incident.

“I dropped my daughter off at school … as I was about to pull out of the parking lot … a man came up to me and said ‘get out of the car right now, or I’m going to have to hurt the kids at the school.'”

Miller said he complied and exited his vehicle.

“He said, ‘I’m really sorry I have to do this, they’re really f*****g my life, don’t worry, insurance will take care of this.'”

The man then sped off in the white SUV. It took a stunned Miller a few moments to realize the dog was still in the vehicle.

“That’s all we care about,” he said of the beloved family pet, a four-year-old brown chocolate lab named Roxy. “I don’t care about getting the car back.”

He’s hoping the culprit is a “decent enough human being” to leave the dog at a shelter or tie her up somewhere safe so she’ll be found and returned.

Toronto police confirm the incident occurred Wednesday morning at around 8:50 a.m. in the Bloor Street West and The East Mall area.

Miller said he did not see a weapon, and no injuries were reported.

The suspect is described as white, around 30 years old and between five foot eight and six feet tall with a light-coloured beard, medium build, black jacket, black winter pants and black earmuffs.

The vehicle, a white Jeep Grand Cherokee with black roof rails and chrome running boards, was reported found on Thursday morning, but Roxy is still missing.

“If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact Toronto police,” Peel Regional Police wrote on X.

In the meantime, Miller is hopeful he’ll soon be reunited with Roxy.

“I’m just glad nobody got hurt, and now it’s just trying to make sure we get our dog back safe,” he said. “We love her.”

He adds that Roxy is a gentle, loving pet, and she’s “probably trying to become best friends with the guy who jacked the car.”