A hunt is under way after a woman allegedly entered a home in Buckingham on September 1 and placed a nine-week-old Chihuahua puppy into her rucksack before fleeing, footage shows.
Security camera video released by the puppy's owner shows a woman dressed in black opening a front gate and walking into the house carrying a black backpack. Jolene Cooper, 14, who was in the home to help advertise a litter of six Chihuahuas for sale, chased the woman down the street after the footage shows the suspect running from the house with a backpack that the owner says contained the puppy.
Jo Cooper, 53, the puppies' owner and grandmother of Jolene, said the intruder ignored a small dog that was in the front garden and went straight into the hallway where she bent down and picked up one of the nine-week-old pups. Dog squeals can be heard on the footage. Ms. Cooper said the targeted puppy does not yet have a name and that a new owner is waiting to collect it should it be returned.
During the pursuit, Jolene was heard shouting for the woman to return the puppy. The suspected thief is seen running at speed and is believed to have dropped a mobile phone during the escape, the family said. Ms. Cooper said she was shocked by the incident and proud of her granddaughter for chasing the woman, but added the episode had made her reluctant to allow Jolene to handle sales in future.
Thames Valley Police confirmed they received a report of a burglary in Buckingham on September 1 and have launched an investigation. A force spokesperson said enquiries remain ongoing and that a suspect has been identified and is being treated as a person of interest. The force added it was "actively progressing the investigation" and understood the concern the incident may cause.
The family said they had been offering the litter for sale online and had given members of the public the chance to enquire. No arrests have been announced. The investigation by Thames Valley Police remains live, and officers are continuing to make enquiries, the force said.