The missing dog "jumped right into their car," the department said in a Facebook post Monday morning.

The post said Luna was "in good health and receiving lots of love."

"THANK YOU all for the assistance! It’s always great when the community comes together and the end result is happy!" the post said. 

Her recovery marks the end of a more than 24-hour search for the missing dog that was shared on social media. 

Middletown police said Luna's owner reported his 2020 Chevrolet Trax was stolen around 8:43 p.m. Saturday in the area near the start of Broad Street, as he was delivering food. 

Middletown Police Chief Erik Costa Costa said the stolen vehicle was equipped with OnStar, so the dispatch center contacted the vehicle security company and began tracking the vehicle. He said dispatch was advised that the car was in the area of Ballfall Road in Middletown, and police attempted to stop the suspect there.

"The suspect failed to stop for the officer and engaged him in a brief pursuit," he said.

While attempting to stop the vehicle, Costa said, police observed the suspect cross the double yellow line multiple times, recklessly pass a number of vehicles at a high rate of speed and fail to obey multiple red lights in an effort to evade the police.

"OnStar personnel were able to remotely slow the vehicle down as the suspect entered the Town of Cromwell. Officers were able to catch up the vehicle on Route 372 in Cromwell," he said. "The vehicle was remotely disabled as the suspect was attempting to merge onto Route 9 South."

Costa said the suspect exited the stolen vehicle and engaged officers in a brief foot pursuit, adding he was caught and arrested shortly after. 

The driver of the stolen car was identified by police as 19-year-old Malik Awuah, of Hartford. He was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, engaging police in a pursuit, reckless driving and cruelty to animals. 

Awuah told police he had left the dog in the roadway moments after stealing the vehicle, near an apartment complex.

Staff writer Josh Labella contributed to this report.