Swedish police raid flat, free abducted puppy

Police officers in southeastern Sweden raided a Norrköping flat, freeing a Chihuahua puppy, which had been kidnapped by potential buyers last week.

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Vera the puppy, who was up for sale, had been abducted from her home by a potential buyer, arriving to pay the deposit, despite being too young to be separated from her mother.

Owner, Maria Larsson, described to local paper Norrköpings Tidningar (NT) that she realized something was wrong as soon as the man sat down at her kitchen table.

“He was nervous and looked stressed,” she said to the paper.

Larsson and her boyfriend had put an ad in the paper about Chihuahua puppies up for sale. On Sunday a man called, offering to pay 2,000 kronor ($297) above the asking price for Vera. Larsson accepted.

When he arrived to pay the deposit he looked shifty, according to Larsson, who was home alone with her children.

After the man had gone down to the car to fetch his ID, he returned with another man, threatening Larsson and saying that she owed his girlfriend 8,000 kronor.

“Either you give me the money or I’ll take the dog,” he allegedly said.

When they realised that Larsson didn’t have that kind of money at home, they tried to take her mobile phone, but eventually left with just the puppy.

“Don’t scream and don’t call the police,” the men said as they left.

Larsson quickly realized that the man must be the partner of a woman, who had bought a dog from her previously.

Larsson had been forced to reclaim that dog due to a halt in payments and suspected maltreatment of the animal.

She quickly called the police. After receiving tip-offs, police were able to track the dog down and after searching a Norrköping flat they freed the kidnapped canine.

According to NT, the puppy was unharmed.

“When she came home she was very hungry. I think she has been fed while away; otherwise she’d be very skinny. But she was hungry,” Larsson told the paper.

A warrant has been filed for the arrest of a 26-year-old man, suspected of abducting the puppy and threatening Larsson. He is previously known to police, according to the paper.

TT/Rebecca Martin
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