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Update: Man who reported dog stolen during robbery now facing animal abuse charges

December 1, 2025

UPDATE 11/20/25: 

A Gresham man who reported his 9-month-old dog had been stolen during a robbery is now the suspect in an animal abuse investigation. 

In mid-November, Christian Myles told police four people attacked him while he was walking in downtown Gresham. Myles claimed the suspects stole his German Shepherd / Rottweiler mix, Shayla, and fled in a white SUV. Myles was highly intoxicated and was unable to provide an exact location where the alleged robbery took place. 

Several days later, following extensive media coverage, a community member brought Shayla to the Gresham Police Department. Multnomah County Animal Services took custody of Shayla when efforts to reach Myles were unsuccessful. 

At the same time, Gresham Police continued investigating Myles’ initial robbery claims.  Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from multiple businesses. They located footage of Myles with Shalya near a bar in downtown Gresham. The video showed Myles repeatedly striking Shayla. Within minutes, Myles became involved in a physical altercation with a patron of the bar. During that altercation, a different community member took Shayla, out of concern for the dog’s safety. 

Based on their investigation, detectives have determined Myles’ statement that he was robbed by four individuals was a lie. Detectives are attempting to locate and arrest Myles for aggravated animal abuse in the first degree, initiating a false report, and other crimes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Justin Pick at Justin.Pick@GreshamOregon.gov.

While the Gresham Police Department is grateful a concerned community member took action to ensure Shayla’s safety, their subsequent efforts to informally find her a new home were inappropriate and potentially illegal. Anyone who witnesses an animal being abused should call 911. 

Shayla remains in the care of Multnomah County Animal Services.

UPDATE 11/20/25: Puppy taken in robbery has been located

Shayla has been located and is safe. The case is still under investigation.

11/19/25: Gresham Police searching for puppy taken in robbery

Gresham Police is asking for the public’s assistance with locating a 9-month-old German Shepherd Mix taken in a Central City neighborhood robbery.

Shortly before 10:30 pm on the night of November 18, officers responded to a report of a robbery in the 100 block of West Powell Boulevard. Officers arrived and contacted the victim, who had been assaulted. The victim reported he had been attacked by three males and one female that were not known to him. He reported that one of the suspects loaded his 9-month-old puppy, Shayla, into a white Chevy Tahoe or similar vehicle before all the suspects fled in the vehicle. Shayla is described as a German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix. 

If anyone has information about this case or the puppy’s whereabouts, they are asked to call non-emergency at 503-823-3333 or the Gresham Police tip-line at 503-618-2719.