Puppy stolen from family home by fake delivery driver as heartless theft caught on camera
Puppy stolen from family home by fake delivery driver as heartless theft caught on camera
Essex Police
This is the moment a cruel burglar stole a young pup from a family home after dressing up as a delivery driver.
Twiglet, who has since been found, was snatched near her home in Essex earlier this week.
Essex Police released camera footage from the home in Saffron Walden showing the squealing Daschund desperately trying to escape the burglar’s clutches.
The intruder was imitating a delivery driver by wearing light-wash jeans, yellow high-vis vest and high-vis cap.
The man was wielding a hammer and smashed through the patio windows
Essex Police
He arrived at the home in an old-style blue Mercedes and smashed the patio doors at around 3pm.
The burglar placed his hand around the dog’s snout in an attempt not to get bitten and held together Twiglet’s back legs.
Twiglet’s family and Essex Police had previously issued appeals for anyone with information to come forward.
In an update on Facebook, Twiglet’s owner said: “Everyone we have the most amazing news. Twig is home.
“She’s a little subdued by the whole experience but a tip off this evening from someone that had seen all of the publicity and awareness, has meant we were able to be reunited [at] about 11pm.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:“We can’t thank everyone enough for all of the posts and reposts and noise that has meant that she most likely did become ‘too hot to handle’.
“We are blown away by how amazing people have been and want to thank you all so so much.”
An Essex Police spokesperson said ahead of Twiglet’s return: "We are appealing for the public’s help to locate Twiglet the Dachshund, who was stolen following a burglary in Saffron Walden on Wednesday, 26 July.
"Officers were called to the address in Catmere End, Saffron Walden on July 26 following reports of a burglary, which occurred around 3pm.
"A review of the internal CCTV cameras shows a man smashing the patio door and taking 16-month old Dachshund, Twiglet.
Twiglet’s family and Essex Police had previously issued appeals for anyone with information to come forward
Essex Police
"Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made at this stage."
Detective Inspector Jamie Stirland also added: “This burglary has been incredibly distressing for the victims and as the public can imagine, they just want to see the safe return of Twiglet.
“Thefts such as these are rare and we are taking this investigation seriously and carrying out multiple enquiries, including reviewing CCTV in the area.
“We are appealing to anyone who may have any information to contact us and assist with this investigation.
“I am also directly appealing to the man in this video, asking him to return Twiglet safely.”