Police are seeking witnesses to the kidnapping of Bowie the cavoodle outside a Burger Fuel in Auckland last week.
The six-month old pup was stolen at 6:25pm last Wednesday. Someone unclipped her leash and took her away while her owner Jo Hodge was inside the New Lynn restaurant on Great North Rd.
Bowie is described by her owners as "lovable" and "cheeky". They say it's been a "desperate week" trying to have her returned - they've resorted to offering up a $900 reward.
"We're unfortunately left with no other option but to entice them with a greater reward than we can manage," they said on a Givealittle page that's been set up to fund the reward.
There was almost $200 donated by 4pm on Friday, and any leftover funds will be donated to the SPCA.
CCTV footage released shows the thief - who appears to be a woman - unclipping her leash and making off with Bowie.
It also shows two people were walking past at the time and police want to speak to them as soon as possible.
"Those members of the public may have assumed the puppy belonged to the woman unclipping her, but that does not appear to be the case," Sergeant Matt Murray says.
Bowie is a brown cavoodle (a crossbreed between a poodle and a cavalier King Charles spaniel) and was wearing a red collar with a round gold tag at the time she was stolen.
Police are also wanting to speak to the owners of a maroon mid-1990s Toyota Rav 4 that was parked next to the Burger Fuel store.
Anyone who knows where Bowie is or has information that could help can contact Sgt Murray of on (09)2155676.
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