Puppy stolen from SPCA in brazen theft

Three thieves have stolen a puppy from the Palmerston North SPCA, before fleeing in broad daylight.

The centre’s manager, Katie Pedersen, said two women and a man threw Iris, a 4-month-old staffordshire bull terrier, over a 6-foot fence about 12.45pm last Thursday.

Pedersen said the trio ‘‘plotted’’ together, with one woman throwing the puppy to the other woman, as the man distracted onlookers in the car park. They then fled in a black Holden.

It’s understood Iris belonged to one of the women, Pedersen said, before the dog was impounded by the Palmerston North City Council’s animal control team. ‘‘That must be the motive.’’

Iris was with the centre for two weeks, but was still vulnerable.

‘‘Her bones will still be very brittle and could break very easily, especially falling from that height.

‘‘I just hope she didn’t get injured when she was thrown. She’s very bubbly, full of beans.’’

Pedersen alerted police, and posted images from the centre’s surveillance cameras to Facebook.

‘‘We’ve had a huge response. We’ve got one of the girls’ first names, but no address.’’

Pedersen hadn’t seen an animal stolen before in her five years at the centre.

A police spokesman said officers were following ‘‘strong lines’’ of inquiry.