Two thieves sought in Massapequa dognapping

BY SOPHIA CHANG | sophia.chang@newsday.com

8:17 PM EST, January 9, 2008

A purebred pup worth $2,100 was stolen from a pet store in Massapequa Wednesday by two thieves who may have smuggled the tiny dog out of the shop in a woman's handbag, Nassau police said.

Around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, a young man and woman approached a clerk at the Pet Company store at 266 Sunrise Mall on Sunrise Highway, and asked to see a 3-month-old Yorkshire terrier puppy, said Sgt. Anthony Repalone.

The clerk left the puppy in a petting room where the couple could play with the dog, Repalone said.

Within minutes, the woman had left the store carrying her handbag, while the man looked briefly at other dogs before leaving, police said.

Yorkshire terriers weigh no more than 7 pounds as adults, according to the American Kennel Club. While no dog was visible in the woman's handbag when she left the store, Repalone said, "it appears that she took the dog in that way."

Because of the dog's value, the thieves face grand larceny charges, Repalone said. The man was described as being in his 20s with brown hair and wearing a green jacket, and the woman as blonde and wearing a white shirt, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.