‘You’re the coolest dog!’ Hilarious moment friendly golden retriever charms thief into giving him a belly rub before the crook makes off with dog owner’s $1,300 bike

San Diego police shared a video of a bizarre incident in which a thief stopped for a minute to affectionately pat a golden retriever before stealing its owner’s $1,300 electric bike.

In the video the man can be seen entering a lit and open garage before attempting to stealthily wheel away the expensive bike – but before he could, he was stopped by the friendly dog.

The thief could be seen wheeling the bike back into the garage, putting it on its stand, and starting to rub the dog’s belly while telling it: ‘You’re the coolest dog ever!’ 

The wholesome moment did not deter the thief, who swiftly returned to business and made off with the bike.

San Diego Police Department Lt. Brian Brecht described it as a ‘very unique situation.’  

A thief stopped for a minute to affectionately pet a golden retriever before stealing its owner’s $1,300 electric bike. He is pictured rubbing the dog’s belly

The golden retriever excitedly leaped onto the thief as he was leaving with its owner’s electric bicycle

‘The guy enters the garage, grabs the bike and starts to walk out. He is about five feet outside the garage door, and a golden retriever comes outside, into the garage, and follows the guy out,’ he told NBC 7.

‘He immediately comes back in, parks the bike and starts playing with the dog.’

The incident happened at around 10.40pm on July 15 on Diamond Street in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego.

The thief was wearing a blue and white hat, gray shirt, blue shorts, and orange athletic shoes. He was carrying a black and blue backpack at the time. 

He entered the empty garage, took the bike off its stand and seemingly out of nowhere the gold retriever appeared.

After temporarily putting the bike back down on its stand, he could be heard telling the dog: ‘Alright, because you’re so cool, come here, you’re the coolest dog I’ve ever known.’

The thief even alluded to the theft, telling the dog: ‘Where’s your dad? Your dad should not leave the garage door open.’

‘You got too much s**t, how do you have so much s**t in your house? Why do you have all this stuff? Dude, you might be the coolest dog ever.’

The thief told the dog it was the ‘coolest dog ever’ and suggested its owner was clumsy to leave a garage filled with so many valuable goods open and unlocked

After pausing to watch for around ten seconds, the dog then ran after the thief and left the camera’s field of view

He then wheeled the bike off before hopping on the saddle. After pausing to watch for around ten seconds, the dog then ran after the thief and left the camera’s field of view.

In a statement accompanying the footage, San Diego Police noted that the bike had several distinctive features.

‘This isn’t your average bike, it’s distinct, featuring ‘8-ball’ caps on the tire valves, an ‘8-ball’ logo on the frame, and a rear wheel frame marked with a checkered black and white pattern,’ it read.

‘We are still looking for the subject. That’s why we advertised this on social media, but hopefully, we can get some tips from the public,’ Brecht said.

Anyone with information is being asked to reach out to SDPD or Crime Stoppers.