St. Louis County pastor has car stolen with dog inside
St. Louis County Priest Anthony Ochoa had his car stolen with his dog Charlie inside.
By Shoshana Stahl
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OVERLAND, Missouri (KMOV) — An Overland pastor’s stolen car was found in Tennessee on Saturday.
On Friday All Souls Catholic Church Pastor Anthony Ochoa went to a parishioner’s home in St. Ann in the 2500 block of Bellecote Avenue to pray with them before a trip.
An hour later he went outside, and his car, along with his beloved dog Charlie, was gone.
“The man who I was visiting said, ‘Father, where is your car,’” Father Ochoa said.
Father Ochoa took to social media to search for Charlie and members of the church stepped in.
“Some people had seen him walking along Highway 170 so we knew where to start the next day, but I didn’t have a car that night to go out and look for him,” Father Ochoa said.
Father Ochoa has had Charlie for more than 12 years.
“If it was tough for me, which it was, I’m sure it was tougher for him,” he said.
He said Charlie is a presence around the church, often considered as the family dog.
“Some people have even named him sort of affectionately John The Baptist since John The Baptist announces that Jesus is coming,” Father Ochoa said. “When they see Charlie, they know Father is coming soon because he’s always with me.”
Saturday morning, he got the call he had been hoping for.
Someone in the Metro had recognized Charlie from social media and was able to bring him home.
“Please tell me where you are, I’ll run there,” Father Ochoa said. “I don’t have a car anymore, and he said oh I’ll bring him by. We were both very relieved to see each other, Charlie and I.”
Father Ochoa’s car, a Hyundai, was found in Cordova, Tennessee on Saturday. The St. Louis County Police Department says the suspect driving the car was arrested.
“I don’t know what their reasons were and I pray for them, and I pray for their family,” Father Ochoa said. “I hope someday if we ever meet I’ll be able to forgive him in person.”
The condition of his car and when he’ll get it back it still up in the air. He said when he does get his car back, he’ll be adding more security features.
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