Reward offered for stolen terrier

5:52pm Wednesday 4th April 2007

A FAMILY is distraught after their beloved pet dog was stolen from outside their Chingford home.

Andrew Pickering, 19, of Chingford Avenue, said his sandy-coloured Staffordshire bull terrier called Sparky escaped from their garden at about 7pm last Thursday.

He claims it was seen being taken by a Mediterranean woman driving an electric blue Peugeot 405 hatchback.

His mother Mary said: "This is Andrew's first pet, and he got him about five months ago."

Andrew has put up posters describing his dog and offering a large reward.

Last Friday morning he was contacted by a woman claiming to have found his dog.

He said: "She wanted to collect the £500 reward, described my dog and said she would return it that evening but didn't turn up."

He went to the flat where the woman claimed to live in The Ridgeway, but the manager said she did not know anything about the dog.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the dog was stolen, had a collar and is microchipped.

If you have information call Frances Lawson from the police's crime management unit on 8345 2443 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.