By Brendan Rees
A Pearcedale man has been reunited with his dog after it was snatched from his home during a broad daylight burglary.
His owner said he was just so thankful he had been returned but it’s feared the dog, a Blue English Staffy, was taken for alleged dog fighting after being found in Hampton East.
Michael Sheppard said he came home from work about 3.30pm to 4pm two weeks ago to find his house on Pearce Court trashed which he says was left unlocked. His Nissan Navara and beloved dog were stolen during the raid.
“All the drawers in my house had been emptied, stuff had been thrown everywhere,” he said.
“It’s strange, I’ve got power tools, generators; chainsaws … didn’t touch any of that.
“They threw my passport out of one of my drawers. It’s like they were after one thing – it was the paperwork for my dog,” he said.
The intruders took all documents proving a three-year-old Bluey was a pure bred as well as veterinary paperwork, Mr Sheppard explained.
“I was more distraught about my daughter … how do I explain it to a five-year-old that he’s gone?” Mr Sheppard said.
According to Mr Sheppard CCTV footage from his neighbour captured men parking their car, believed to be a Mitsubishi Lancer, at the front of the house on Apple Street before walking to his home about 200 metres away.
Mr Sheppard said the bandits returned to the street in his Navara before taking Bluey out of his car and into the Lancer. He said there were two men involved but the footage wasn’t clear enough to provide a description.
The next day Mr Sheppard received a call from a Vet clinic in Hampton East telling him Bluey had been handed after being identified through his microchip.
According to Mr Sheppard, a stranger had rescued Bluey after it’s suspecting he had been used for illegal dog fighting by the man’s neighbour in a block of units.
Mr Sheppard said it was “very strange” as to how Bluey ended up in Hampton East.
“He somehow managed to get my dog off him … and handed him into the Vet,” he said.
He said luckily Bluey hadn’t been harmed and was recovering at home without the need for medication.
“He just had diarrhea. I don’t whether it’s something they fed. He slept for two days after … now he’s back to normal,” he said.
“He’s that placid he would have been no good to them in illegal dog fighting. He’s not an aggressive dog.”
Mr Sheppard found his stolen car dumped in Eric court in Pearcedale two days after the burglary.
He said he wanted to personally thank the Good Samaritan for handing in his dog, and even offer a reward but the man allegedly left a false name.
Casey Crime Investigation Unit is investigating.
