Puppy Ase stolen during burglary at owner’s home
Ricki Hapi is desperate to find her son’s 3-month-old puppy, who was stolen when his Remuera house was burgled last week.
Hapi’s son Joshua went shopping at Countdown in Greenlane but when he got back he found the house had been burgled and his rottweiler pup, Ase, was gone.
She said her son was ‘‘shattered’’ that his dog had been taken, and pleaded for anyone who saw the dog or the burglary to go to the police.
The 18-year-old moved in to the Lillington Rd house earlier this year, and got Ase once he settled in.
‘‘We’re not worried about the material stuff, we just want him back,’’ Hapi said.
Joshua left the back door open for the puppy to be able to get out into the backyard as he usually does.
The section is fenced off and secure, and an elderly neighbour regularly checks in on the puppy while Joshua is out.
But when he got home his neighbour said she was concerned about the dog, as the puppy usually comes running out when she calls out to him.
‘‘She usually sings out to it and he comes out to say hello, but he didn’t come out when she called,’’ Hapi said.
‘‘So she told my son she thought something might have happened while he was out.’’
Since the incident, the family has been looking online and Hapi that said she had received tips that someone had been selling a similar-looking puppy online.
Hapi said Ase is very recognisable with six toes on each back foot and double dewclaws on each as well.
He has a recognisable pattern on his chest shaped like a bird spreading its wings.
The police have opened an investigation, so anyone with information can either contact the family or police.
Anyone with information that may assist is asked to contact police on the 105 phone service or online at police.govt.nz/use105, where they can quote reference file number 230424/2573.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.