Illinoisan accused of breaking into pound to steal his dog

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- When Thomas Carroll couldn't come up with the $125 in fines and fees to bail his pet Weimaraner out of the dog pound, investigators say he broke into the pound to free his pooch and three others.

The dogs' liberation didn't last long, and authorities soon caught up with Carroll, charging the Glen Carbon man Tuesday with two felony burglary counts. Carroll, 20, remained jailed Wednesday on $50,000 bond.

Madison County sheriff's Lt. Brad Wells said animal control officers picked up Carroll's dog, Titus, April 5. Five days later, workers at the animal-control building found that someone had broken into their building, Wells said.

Investigators think Carroll freed the three other strays as a distraction to cover his tracks.

Titus was to be returned to Madison County and be put up for adoption, Wells said.