Le Anh Hao, Nguyen Thanh Loc, Nguyen Tan Duy and Nguyen Trong Nhan, aged 17-18, were arrested by HCMC police and are to be prosecuted for theft.
On Dec. 3, equipped with pepper spray and tasers, the group ran amok along Vo Thi Phai Street in District 12 where they neutralized and stole a dog right in front of its owner.
The incident, caught on security camera, took only 30 seconds in all.
Following their capture by police, the four admitted to having stolen around 10 dogs that same day.
"Evidence shows the group of teenagers had repeatedly stolen over 1,200 dogs in the past two months," an officer confirmed.
The group would typically operate between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., selling the stolen dogs to abattoirs in District 12.
An investigation is ongoing.
Vietnam consumes an estimated five million dogs a year, second only to China's 20 million. Many dogs served at restaurants are stolen pets sold to small, unregulated abattoirs.