A family from Panorama City is turning to the public for additional help in finding their beloved tortoise that was stolen over the weekend. 

Gustavo Mendoza told KTLA that a “heartless and evil man” stole the creature between 3 and 4 p.m. Sunday at their residence on Brimfield Avenue near Cantara Street.

The thief was also seen abusing the tortoise, Mendoza stated. 

Video sent in by Mendoza shows the suspect sticking his hands through the front gate of the property and using a stick to flip the tortoise onto its shell before lifting it up and over the gate violently. 

Upon getting to the top of the gate, he is seen throwing the tortoise into the air and letting it fall onto the ground before kicking it out of the view of the camera. 

Jennifer Tapia, also an owner of the tortoise, says that she and her family keep their tortoises outside regularly. They went to look for her on Sunday afternoon, and while Tapia says the tortoise normally goes into hiding because “that’s what tortoises do,” the family quickly realized something was amiss. 

“We couldn’t find her anywhere, so we looked at our surveillance footage,” Tapia told KTLA on Monday morning. “We saw this guy that picked her up, and he pretty much abused her and was kicking her around.” 

“We’re just scared because we don’t know who it is…if it’s one of our neighbors,” Tapia added. “It’s sad to know that this is happening in our community and that someone could do this to an animal.” 

The tortoise, which was a rescue, has been in the family’s possession for five years, Tapia said. They also have another one, which was hiding at the time of the theft. 

Anyone with information surrounding the whereabouts of the tortoise or the suspect is encouraged to contact police.

Nancy Fontan and KTLA photojournalist Kris Arciaga contributed to this report.

Hundreds of cats and dogs found new homes in a super adoption event held at the Rose Bowl Stadium over the Nov. 2-3 weekend.

The Los Angeles-based Best Friends Animal Society, now in its 25th year, brought together 16 animal shelter and rescue groups to help nearly 400 pets get adopted.

“Every week, up to 200 dogs and cats unnecessarily die in LA’s city shelters,” the nonprofit wrote in a release. 

Organizers said the hope for this event was to help ease the strain on animal shelters and rescue groups and allow more animals to find positive outcomes.

And now, hundreds of those animals have been helped to find their positive outcomes.

“To help even more pets find loving homes, after the event’s conclusion, Best Friends pulled a total of 21 dogs from Los Angeles County Animal Care and Riverside County Department of Animal Services,” added the nonprofit. 

Organizers said these recently pulled pets are now looking for loving foster or adoptive homes, and are currently at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in West Los Angeles.

An armed man who reportedly kidnapped his girlfriend and led law enforcement in high-speed chase of more than 20 miles was taken into custody with the help a smartphone app, officials announced Sunday.  

The Nov. 2 incident unfolded in the 10300 block of Lower Azusa in El Monte just before 6 p.m., according to a news release from the El Monte Police Department.  

Investigators say the suspect, identified as Mario Montano, showed up “armed with a firearm and distraught” to his girlfriend’s place of work.  

“The suspect engaged in an argument with the victim which escalated when the suspect forced the victim into her own vehicle and drove away not allowing the victim to exit,” the release detailed.  

During the incident, the girlfriend called a friend who alerted police and was able to provide the victim and the suspect’s location using the Find My iPhone app.  

Deputies in a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter located the vehicle on the 5 Freeway near the Bandini exit and notified the California Highway Patrol, who later attempted a traffic stop.  

The suspect driver failed to pull over and proceeded to lead CHP on a 21-mile pursuit that only came to an end when the vehicle was disabled by spike strips that punctured the car’s tires near the 405 Freeway and Westminster Avenue, authorities said.  

Montano, according to the release, was ultimately taken into custody on suspicion of kidnapping and felony evading.  

Officials did not say whether the alleged firearm was recovered.  

The victim was not physically injured during the ordeal, police added.  

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the El Monte Police Department 626-580-2100. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.