A dog owner has been receiving prank calls demanding money after her pooch was stolen from her house in Wooburn Green.
Heartbroken Allison McCulloch told Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning yesterday (Monday) how her beloved nine-month-old cocker spaniel Nancy was snatched from her garden when she went to the dentist on February 8.
She said: “I went out to go to the dentist and left the dogs in the garden with the door open so they could go in and out.
“When I came back, she was gone.”
Philip Schofield asked Ms McCulloch if it was possible Nancy had escaped and she said there was “no way” as her garden was “very secure”.
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She also told the ITV programme she had been receiving what she thought were prank calls from people saying they had her dog and that they would return her once Ms McCulloch had transferred money into their account.
She said: “I’ve had prank phone calls from people asking for money, saying they have her.”
She added: “The people from Dog Lost said these calls are a regular occurrence. They are trying to get money out of desperate people because they know people will do anything to get their pets back.”
Ms McCulloch said she had gone to the police, who are investigating.
She added: “It just consumes you – looking for her, following up leads.
“My screen time is up 90 per cent from the previous week, I’m just looking, and looking and looking.”
A member of the public contacted her when she saw a very similar dog on sale on a well-known pet selling site but, despite her daughter-in-law contacting the seller several times and police getting in touch with the selling site, Nancy has still not been found.
READ MORE: Devastated owners fear beloved pet dog has been stolen after disappearing in woods
Thames Valley Police said: “Police are still investigating this incident where a dog was stolen in a burglary that was reported to the force on February 8.
“We still have some lines of enquiry but would urge anybody who believes they know the whereabouts of Nancy, or believes they may have been offered her, to please make contact with the police.”
Nancy is microchipped and is black with white patches on her neck and chest.
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