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More than van or gifts, owner wants his dog back

Anyone know where Blue might be? He was last seen in Lakeland after his owner's van was stolen.

By JON WILSON
Published December 20, 2005

SEMINOLE - John McNaughton keeps on searching.

His 2005 Nissan van, his dog and thousands of dollars worth of Christmas presents have been missing for 10 days, all stolen at a gas station off Interstate 4 when McNaughton made a restroom stop.

But McNaughton, a seasonal resident who lives on 48th Place N, isn't giving up. He particularly misses Blue, his 6-year-old Great Dane.

"I really want that dog back. The car can be replaced," said McNaughton, 63.

Nearly every day since Dec. 11, McNaughton has returned to Lakeland to look for Blue. He has knocked on doors, searched vacant property and distributed fliers. He has contacted animal services in Polk County and tried to interest media outlets.

Someone reported seeing a dog like Blue crossing a four-lane highway a few hours after the theft. But that was the only known sighting of Blue, who was wearing a red collar with a red heart on it.

McNaughton is hoping an article in a newspaper, even one 40 miles from the scene of the theft, will make its way around and perhaps jog someone's memory. He asks anyone with information to call him at (727) 420-7487.

Police continue to investigate.

McNaughton had been heading back to Oneonta, N.Y., for the holidays when he pulled off the highway and stopped at a Chevron station at 1205 Lakeland Hills Blvd. In a hurry to reach the men's room, he said, he dropped his keys on the van's floorboard.

When he returned about five minutes later, the van, Blue and the Christmas presents were gone. McNaughton told police he saw a man ride up on a bicycle when he parked but paid little attention to him.

Among the presents were about $4,000 worth of Movado and Gucci watches, according to police reports.

McNaughton said he has owned Blue for 41/2 years and said he was a "rescue dog" that had been abused at a previous home.

"He's very nonaggressive," he said.

He said Blue earned a mention in the news in March when crews from television's Extreme Makeover were working on the house of James Dolan, blinded in a November 2004 RadioShack shooting in St. Petersburg.

"He got so nervous with everything going on, I had to take him to the vet," McNaughton said.

[Last modified December 20, 2005, 20:18:03]