A house sitter has been accused of stealing a U.S. Air Force officer’s dog and car while the officer was deployed abroad. Tragically, the dog, a husky named Maverick, was later found dead in an abandoned vehicle at a luxury apartment complex.
Andrew Jansen, 28, was arrested on Saturday in Miami-Dade County after allegedly taking Andrew Beckham’s 11-year-old husky, Maverick, and leaving him in Aurora, Colorado, over 2,100 miles away. Beckham shared details of the incident, expressing his heartbreak, “We might have saved Maverick if Jansen’s whereabouts had been disclosed sooner.” He has been assured that Jansen is unlikely to cause harm again.
Beckham had connected with Jansen through TrustedHouseSitters, a service that matches pet owners with sitters, while he was overseas in early April.
During a night when Beckham was away, doorbell camera footage captured the sitter taking Maverick outside, placing him in Beckham’s Subaru Forester, and driving off without saying a word.
Beckham, unable to reach Jansen, reported both him and the dog as missing.
Upon returning to Colorado on April 22 for an urgent search, Beckham didn’t find any leads until May 2, when Maverick was discovered deceased inside his stolen car, which had turned up abandoned in a gated garage at an upscale Denver complex.
Investigators are trying to determine how the car ended up in the garage and exactly when Jansen left town.
Beckham reported that Maverick had been locked inside the car for a considerable time and noted, “There was a lot of blood on his face.” The circumstances surrounding the dog’s death are still under investigation.
Beckham has created a memorial for Maverick at home, which includes a tuft of fur, a paw print, and a mural of the happy husky.
Recalling his time with Maverick, Beckham said, “Getting to know him was a joy, but discussing this is incredibly painful.” After learning about the heartbreaking outcome, Beckham received no updates from authorities about the case until a Florida reporter informed him about Jansen’s arrest.
Aurora police have issued a warrant for Jansen’s arrest, charging him with felony motor vehicle theft and common theft.
Jansen was taken into custody early Saturday while attempting to visit his father at Jackson South Hospital, facing suspicion related to interfering with a medical emergency call. He is currently held in Miami-Dade on an out-of-state warrant and is expected to be extradited back to Colorado.
Beckham advises pet owners to diligently research any potential sitters. “It’s important to be cautious when selecting someone to care for your pets,” he warned, emphasizing the need for vetting those found online.
A spokesperson from TrustedHouseSitters expressed deep concern about the incident, emphasizing their ongoing support for Beckham during this distressing situation.
