A dog owner was the victim of a cruel prank when someone threatened to kill her missing dog if she did not pay a ransom.
Cathryn Hussain was told her six-month-old labradoodle Waffle would be beheaded unless she paid £1,000. Her dog was stolen by a man at knifepoint in St Austell, Cornwall, at around 7am on December 23. The suspect, who approached her on Belmont Road, was described as being around 5ft 8in and was wearing a black, hooded top and scarf, and spoke with a foreign accent.Officers have been checking local CCTV and making enquiries into the theft of Waffle.
She said: ‘We’re all just a bit fed up of the prank calls that all seem to go through to my daughter’s phone.
‘We received a text from someone saying they wanted £1,000 or Waffle would be beheaded.
‘Police have traced the person who was a female and not from Cornwall.‘How dare someone use Waffle’s disappearance to try and make money.Make Your Own Pet Bed Out of a Sweatshirt. Want to give your dog a nice comfy spot to sleep without having to buy a dog bed from the store? Make them this super cool dog bed out of a sweatshirt & pillow.
‘There was also another text from someone saying their ex stole my dog followed by another message saying they’d actually bought him.’
She added she had been for walks since her dog went missing and when she spotted a labradoodle she hoped it was Waffle.
Mrs Hussain’s daughter Ayesha has set up a Facebook page called Bring Waffle Home and is using it to post pictures of possible sightings they know not to be Waffle to help with the hunt. Mrs Hussain added: ‘We’re grateful for all the people still caring and sharing and we take every lead seriously as all we need is one lucky break to get Waffle home.
‘He’s way too hot to handle and whoever has him won’t be able to take him out for a walk.’