A stolen dog has been reunited with its 13-year-old owner after more than a year.
Coco, a Chihuahua Jack Russell mixed breed, was stolen from the home of the Gray family on Sunday, June 27, 2021, at around 4.45pm, starting a desperate search to bring the dog home.
Following a police raid of a property in North Belfast on Thursday, September 8, the dog was finally located and returned to 13-year-old Chelsea Gray and her sisters.
Read more: Belfast family's desperate search to find beloved stolen dog Coco
The family told Belfast Live that they had "lost hope" that they would ever find Coco after she had been missing for so long and now their family is "finally complete again".
Chloe Gray said: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I came home and saw her. It was my little sister's birthday yesterday and I had thought we had got a new dog and I couldn't stop screaming when I saw that it was her.
"She seems like she is doing well and she wouldn't stop jumping all over us when she saw us. The police were saying she started barking with excitement as soon as she saw the house.
"Apparently someone had tipped off the police about where she was and we are just so thankful for all of the help people have given us in helping us find her."
Declan Gray said: "We had lost all hope that we were ever going to see her again and now our family is finally complete again."
Police said that Coco's theft had a huge impact at the family who were heartbroken that she had been taken from them.
Sergeant Matt Boucher said: “Coco’s disappearance had a devastating impact on its family and our enquiries have been ongoing since her disappearance to try and find her.
“Unfortunately despite a number of sightings of Coco in the days after she disappeared, she was never located.
“This morning, Thursday, 8th September, officers carried out a search of a property in the north Belfast area and Coco was located and seized from the address.
“A 36-year-old male was subsequently cautioned on suspicion of handling stolen goods and our enquiries remain ongoing.”
Sergeant Boucher said after a trip to the vets to confirm Coco was well and her microchip details were correct – officers were delighted to be able to return her to her rightful owners after 15 months away.
“This was an intelligence led search which led to the discovery of Coco at this address.
“It was a great feeling to see the Gray family’s reaction when we arrived unannounced at their front door with Coco in our arms. She certainly knew she was home as she barked loudly when we arrived outside the address.
“Coco’s return home was also a fantastic late birthday surprise for her owner Chelsea, who celebrated her 13th birthday on Wednesday.
“Our enquiries into the theft of Coco are ongoing but in the meantime we are delighted that we have been able to reunite her with her rightful owners.
"Anyone with any information about the theft of Coco is asked to contact police at Lisburn Road on 101, quoting reference number 2481 of 27/06/21.
"Details can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/."
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