Shoplifting Dog Steals Christmas Gift From Store

(CNN) -- A four-legged thief struck quickly at a grocery store in Utah. It walked right into the store, grabbed a present, and made a getaway, but not before leaving some incriminating paw marks.

Lots of people have been visiting the manager's office at Smith's Food & Drug in Murray, Utah.

"I've never seen him shop in here before," said store manager Roger Adamson. "Didn't even have his fresh value card."

What happened next has already become something of a legend.

"How likely is that?" said Tracy Jacobson, who works at the store. "For a dog to walk into a store, go down the pet aisle, get his bone, and walk out?"

The dog entered the store and went straight to aisle 16, where the store kept its pet food. He picked up a rawhide bone and headed toward the exit. Adamson confronted the dog at that point.

"I said, 'drop it!'" Adamson said.

In many retail training videos, employees and managers are instructed not to confront shoplifters. After staring down the dog, Adamson chose to let the culprit leave with the ill-gotten goods.

Dog expert Marshall Tanner said it was probably the canine sense of smell -- 100,000 times better than the typical human criminal's -- that led it directly to the bone.

The dog remained at large on Christmas day, presumably enjoying its Christmas gift. The stolen merchandise was valued at $2.79.