Bexleyheath chihuahua theft leaves mum and son devastated (From News Shopper)

Bexleyheath chihuahua theft leaves mum and son devastated

5:31pm Tuesday 11th September 2012 in News By Tim MacFarlan, Bexley and north Kent reporter

A MOTHER and son have been left devastated after their pet chihuahua was stolen by thieves.

Three-year-old Coco escaped from the back garden of Elizabeth Russell, 24, and her six-year-old son Harvey's home in Red House Lane, Bexleyheath, on the afternoon of Sunday September 2.

The £550 teacup chihuahua wandered down the street and was picked-up by a lady living round the corner who went house to house knocking on doors trying to find her owner.

She got to within a few doors from Coco's home when a silver car pulled into the drive with two men inside.

Miss Russell says one of the men then got out and pretended the dog belonged to his sister.

The resident was convinced and handed over Coco only to watch the man get into his car before speeding off.

Miss Russell says he even went to kiss the dog to convince her finder he was the owner, but Coco pulled away.

She told News Shopper: "Coco had a tendency to escape from my garden but I thought I had blocked up all the holes.

"She's a very curious dog and will go up to anyone."

Harvey has been particularly hard hit by the loss of the treasured family pet which his mum bought from a friend when she was only 10 weeks old.

Miss Russell said: "He keeps asking where she is. He watches the news to see if she's on there.

"I think it's disgusting. How they could just take someone's pet. It's just horrible."

The volunteer teacher at Upland Primary School in Bexley has put Coco's case up on the website dogslost.co.uk, advertising for the safe return of her "very active little dog who likes to run around in circles".

This is the second case of chihuahua theft reported in News Shopper in recent weeks.

A 12-year-old girl had her pet snatched from her arms by a man in a passing car in Beckenham last month.

A Bexley police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm a dog was taken on September 2 from Bexleyheath."