Thieves Swipe Puppy In Millbury House Burglary
MILLBURY (CBS) - A Millbury family is offering a reward for the return of something stolen by burglars over the weekend – a five-pound puppy.
"I just want to get Katie back home," said 10-year-old Blake Samuelson.
"My kids are adamant that we're going to get her back," said Lori Samuelson. "And it's so hard to tell them that the chances are slim. It's a longshot."
On Saturday afternoon, the family was out celebrating Blake's birthday when burglars broke in through a basement window of their home on Carleton Road.
Despite a noisy reception from the family's two English Setters, the thieves made their way upstairs and ransacked the master bedroom, swiping a bunch of jewelry.
They even took Blake's XboxS, but the boy seems unconcerned about that.
"I don't care about anything else," he told WBZ-TV, "They just how they stole the dog and that makes me ill."
Before they left, the burglars grabbed one of the family's two new puppies from a pen just off the kitchen – an expensive 14-week old Coton De Tulear named Katie.
"I was in shock," said Lori Samuelson, "and once the police left, I cried for about 24 hours straight."
Police do have leads, including a description of a car spotted in the driveway and some others they don't want to talk about, even as they urge folks to be on the lookout through a social media campaign.
"Jewelry can be replaced," said Millbury Police officer Andrea Warpula. "It's a loss, but not the same kind of heartfelt loss as when you lose a puppy."
Which is why Lori Samuelson is appealing directly to the conscience of the crooks. She believes they stole the dog on a whim and might be willing to return the animal anonymously once they give it some thought and realize the hurt they've caused.
"It's like if somebody kidnapped your child," she said somberly. "You could never rest again."
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