2nd Suspect in Theft of Dogs to Surrender

The second suspect in the theft and torching of a truck carrying 37 attack dogs is expected to surrender today, authorities said, while four more guard-dog companies have complained that the two men used “strong-arm” tactics against them.

Chester Hill, 25, was arrested Monday, booked on arson and grand theft charges and held on $50,000 bail, said Sheriff’s Detective Mike Bornman. An attorney for the second suspect, John Daniels of Inglewood, told Bornman that Daniels would probably turn himself in today.

The two men face charges in the theft of a truck carrying 37 attack-trained dogs belonging to C & C Sentry Dogs International of Gardena. Two of the dogs, worth $1,500 each, died in the blaze, 12 were recaptured immediately, and 23 of the dogs--including aggressively trained “man-stoppers”--were running loose in the South-Central neighborhood.

All but five of the 23 were eventually handed over to animal shelters or rounded up by animal control officers, C & C officials said.

Investigators are interviewing employees of four more security dog companies, who have “reportedly been threatened” by the two suspects, Bornman said Tuesday.

Hill owned an unlicensed security firm called Cam’s Canines, Bornman said, and deputies have impounded two trucks belonging to Daniels’ apparently unlicensed security company.

Five dogs were found at Hill’s South Los Angeles home when he was arrested, said Bornman.