The Los Angeles Times reported this weekend on a robbery that occurred in the Los Angeles region.

The puppies in the window looked secure enough. The pricey pooches were protected by metal bars, two locked doors, alarm sensors and video surveillance cameras.

But for the second time in about two weeks, a pet dealer reported that a thief had squeezed into his Puppy Love pet store in La Mirada early Friday morning and snatched nearly a dozen Yorkshire terriers, Schnauzers and other dogs worth an estimated $15,000.

The possible cause for these robberies?

There has been a string of pet shop thefts in the Los Angeles area. Authorities say a booming black market in pedigreed canines is to blame, and that some animals are even smuggled into Mexico for sale at a steep mark-up.

Sales of the dogs are arraigned through the same manner as other contraband products: through the Internet or communications through disposable cellphones.

In rare cases, purebred puppies have been stolen by force. Earlier this year, four purebred Yorkshire terriers were stolen from a Koreatown home at gunpoint. The puppies had been advertised for sale in a newspaper.

Some stolen puppies have been sold on flashy websites. But in many cases, the black market for these dogs is decidedly low-tech. Authorities say thieves will sell them for cash in parking lots, using disposable cellphones to go undetected.

Puppies that cannot be sold might get dumped, because shelters require a fee and ask questions.