A 12-year-old girl has made a heart-wrenching appeal to dognappers who stole her puppy saying she will give them all her pocket money just to have her back. Tia Bajalyte got Smaila, a toy poodle, for her birthday one year ago, but the pooch was stolen from her parent’s van in March by crooks who swiped her but left £400 in cash.
Schoolgirl Tia recorded a video message to the thieves to get her cute dog back, saying she had been looking forward to her birthday "having fun" with Smaila. Tia said she misses her dog every day and she was "like my little child." But she generously said she would give the dognappers all the money she has if it meant she got her back.
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In the video, Tia, of Uxbridge, west London, said in the message: "This is to the thieves, today is my birthday.
"And knowing that she is out there but not with me is really difficult.
"I really wanted to spend my birthday with my dog, having fun, doing really fun things, blowing out candles.
"But that’s not going to happen."
She added: "And all I want to say is ‘If you stole her for money or for your pleasure, it's not pleasure to other people.
"It’s not pleasure to me, it's not pleasure to all of my family."
Tia - who lives with mum Auksine Varlee, 37, and her husband Tomas Jagminas, 39, continued: "I really miss her every single day.
"She was like my little child.
"And if you are doing it for money, I will give you all of my pocket money, all of it just so I can have my baby back.
"She was my puppy, I wanted her forever."
Smaila was stolen in Edmonton, north London and taken into a Silver A Class Mercedes.
Tia added: "I’d really like to know what’s the point of stealing my puppy.
"My other dog passed away and Tia has been my best friend. I love her dearly and want her to be with my family.
"I dearly want to cuddle her again and take her for walks."
Tia’s parents bought Smaila as a surprise birthday present for her last year and they became inseparable.
"She thinks the world of Smaila," Auksine said.
"We all do, we’re devastated. She’s a massive part of our family and not a day goes by when we don’t think of her.
"It seems the thieves were only after Smaila.
"We were only away from the van for a few minutes, but they got in took her and left £400 cash.
"Our lives have changed since she was taken and I just hope one day we will get her back."
The Met Police has been approached for comment.
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