Austin food blogger’s car stolen with dog still inside, police say

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin food blogger is seeking public help to find his dog after he said on social media his car was stolen Friday morning with the dog still inside.

Shortly before 5 a.m. Friday, Austin 911 received that report of a stolen vehicle in the 3200 block of S. Interstate 35 service road northbound near East Oltorf Street in southeast Austin, the Austin Police Department told KXAN Friday in a statement.

The local blogger, known as “AustinEater,” took to Instagram Friday, saying he wanted help finding his dog, Noodles.

“Hey guys. I need your help. I know this is super weird. I know that’s not what this page is for,” he said on the platform Friday. “My car was just stolen with my dog in it. A lot of you probably know what Noodles looks like.”

“AustinEater” is known for posting food content in Austin. He also posts blogs, dining tips, social tips and more, according to the AustinEater website.

As of Saturday, the Instagram post gained more than 4,900 likes, more than 430 comments and more than 2,700 shares.

The APD Auto Theft Unit “has proactively entered the vehicle’s information into both local and national databases.”

“This will alert any law enforcement officer who checks the vehicle’s license plates,” police said.

No updates were available from police, as of Saturday.

“The Austin Police Department encourages the public to always secure their vehicles, avoid leaving keys inside, and remove any valuables from vehicles. More importantly, please report any suspicious activity,” police said