Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is my dog back
A HEARTBROKEN two-year-old has penned a letter to Santa asking for his help in getting back his stolen puppy.
Edward Latter, who turns three on Saturday, hopes he’ll see nine-month-old border terrier Morse again before Christmas Day.
His father Richard, 40, and mother Amanda, 43, have appealed to the dognappers for the safe return of their pet after he was snatched in the street by a passing motorist last Wednesday.
Richard, a West End theatre carpenter, revealed it was Edward’s idea to pen a letter to Santa.
The youngster wrote: “Dear Father Christmas, I just want one present for Christmas this year, my dog Morse back.
“I’ve been a very good boy all year. Thank you, Edward aged two and three quarters”.
Richard said: “Hopefully, writing the letter to Father Christmas will just give us the happy ending we are so desperate for.
“It would mean the absolute world to us for Morse to be home in time for Christmas. It would mean everything.”
He added: “They are such good pals and he’s really missing Morse.”
Edward’s parents spent a day searching for Morse after he escaped from their home in Marden, Kent, and ran 80 yards down the road before being snatched.
After appealing online, a witness told them she saw their pet being bundled into the back of a blue/grey pickup truck last Wednesday just before 11am.
The woman had approached the runaway dog when the dognapper told her he knew the owners and would return Morse. But the man, who was carrying a female passenger, drove away and did not bring the dog home.
Outrageous
Richard said: “The woman who phoned us had stopped her car as she had seen Morse running down the road and was going to pick him up.
“Almost in the same moment the chap got out of the Hilux-type truck and picked him up saying ‘don’t worry, the dog belongs to a friend of ours. We will take it back to them.’ It was outrageous nerve from the man.”
They called around family members before contacting police, who told them to contact their local dog warden and the kennels.
But after they had no luck, Richard put out a message on social media. The family are now hoping someone will have dash cam footage of the incident.
Edward has been helping his parents put up “missing” posters with pictures of Morse on.
Richard said: “There were several other cars which had to stop behind the truck – they were practically stopped in the middle of the road so people will have seen what was going on.”
He also appealed directly to the dognappers to do the right thing for his boy.
Richard added: “I don’t really care what your motive was for taking Morse, but please just release him.
“Just take him to a vets anonymously or even just tie him up outside a shop and walk away and a passerby will see him and hand him in.” A Kent Police spokesman said they received a report that a “black and brown border terrier dog was stolen”.
Can you help? Contact officers on 01634 604100 quoting reference YY/37582/17 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
TWO-YEAR-OLD Edward Latter has appealed to Santa for help in returning his lost dog Morse. We’re sure that Father Christmas will do his best but is there anyone else down on the ground who might put in a word with someone, somewhere? It’s Christmas. Let little Edward celebrate.