Puppy reunited with owner after gangland abdugtion
French bulldog found in Scotland after being stolen by machete mob
Apuppy stolen by masked thieves during an armed raid on a home in England has turned up safe in Scotland.
French bulldog Violet has been reunited with her owners after a vet in Glasgow tracked them down using details on her microchip.
Violet was stolen at just 10 weeks old when masked men armed with a machete smashed their way into Joanne Leslie’s home in Darlington, County Durham, on Halloween.
Joanne was at home with her two young sons at the time.
The pup was located on Thursday after she was taken to the vet to be microchipped by a family in Paisley who had bought her but had no idea she had been stolen.
“I was thrilled when I got a call from the vet in Glasgow to say Violet had been found,” Joanne said. “I drove straight up to Paisley on Friday to pick her up from the people who had bought her.”
Joanne said a Paisley couple had paid £2,000 for the pup four weeks ago as a birthday present for their teenage daughter.
“Violet had been renamed Luna and the poor girl was very upset at having to hand her back,” Joanne said. “The parents didn’t say where they had got Violet from but they said they paid cash and were not given any documents or paperwork for her.
“As soon as I saw Violet I shouted her name and she came running straight towards me.
“My sons, who are five and seven, were over the moon to see her again because they were heartbroken when she was stolen.”
Joanne breeds French bulldogs and is going to give the Paisley family a free pup from their next litter.
“I am so grateful to them for giving Violet back to us. The least we can do is to give them a pup as soon as the next ones come along.”
Joanne said the armed raid on October 31 left her family distraught.
Durham police said: “The men were armed with weapons and were wearing balaclavas and masks, and smashed a patio door to gain entry before taking the puppy.
“This was a terrifying incident for the victim, whose two young children were in the property at the time.”
Three people have been arrested in connection with the break-in and one man has since appeared in court.
Joanne added: “It is great to finally have our puppy back. She is fit and well and was looked after in a lovely home.
“People kept telling me she wouldn’t be found and to forget about her but I knew my prayers would be
answered.”