Investigators now search for two dogs not returned after training, Soquel man charged

SOQUEL, Calif. (KION)

UPDATE 3/30/2020 11:45 a.m. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is now looking for two dogs reported missing after being sent to train with a Soquel man.

Benjamin Friedenberg was first arrested when investigators said he offered to train a friend's dog, Thor, and did not return it after accepting money.

Friedenberg was arrested again Friday in connection two another case involving grand theft of a dog, embezzlement and vehicle theft.

In this case, the Sheriff's Office said Friedenberg accepted money to train the victim's dog, Huckleberry. They said he later refused to return the dog after several months and has not given the dog's location.

Huckleberry is described as a reddish-brown Catahoula Leopard dog with one green eye and one blue eye, spots, a long tail and a microchip.

Friedberg is now facing more charges that include embezzlement, grand theft, theft by false pretenses and stealing an animal.

Anyone with information about where the dogs are is asked to call Det. Jacob Pruger at 831-454-7096.

PREVIOUS STORY: A Soquel man has been arrested after the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said he offered to train a friend's dog and did not return it.

Investigators said Benjamin Friedenberg offered to train the dog, Thor, and accepted $1,500 for the training. After the training time passed, Thor's owners said he refused to return their dog.

When investigators contacted Friedenberg, they said he would not tell them where Thor was, so on March 12, he was arrested and charged with grand theft of a dog and embezzlement.

Anyone with information about the case or Thor's location is asked to call Det. Jacob Pruger at 831-454-7096.