A family devastated by the theft of two beloved gun dogs is offering a “substantial reward” for their safe return.
And they hope a social media campaign spreading the word of the crime will increase the chances of getting the pair back.
Black cocker spaniel Ruby, and liver and white English springer spaniel Skye “are pretty close to children” for Ian Pearce, his daughter Nicky Moore said.
She explained the dogs were taken from their kennels by “brazen” crooks while the family ate an Easter Sunday meal at Mrs Moore’s parents’ home in Holton St Mary.
At about 9pm the dogs were heard barking but as Mr Pearce, aged 60, got up to check on them the noise stopped.
Mrs Moore, 27, believes that was when the dogs were taken, but admits it could have been any time between then and around 8am the following morning, when the family discovered them missing.
“They walked up the drive and just took them,” she said. “Whoever it was came prepared; they left quite a big screwdriver behind.”
The disappearance of the dogs has hit the family hard, with Mrs Moore saying her father was particularly badly affected.
“They were members of our family and we’re devastated,” she said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen my father cry so much in his life. They are everything to him.”
Mrs Moore and her sister Sarah Pearce have been appealing for information about the theft online, hoping plenty of publicity will make the dogs “too hot to handle”.
She said: “We’ve been creating a buzz about it on social media. We’ve got more than 5,000 shares on Facebook, they are on Dogs Lost and the Countryside Alliance have picked it up.
“The more of a buzz we can create about it the more likely that whoever has them will think it’s not worth it.”
Mrs Moore said the family was prepared to offer a substantial reward for the safe return of the dogs or information leading to their return.
The screwdriver found near the kennels has been taken away by Suffolk Constabulary for forensic examination.
A police spokesman said anyone with information should contact the Babergh East Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101, quoting incident HD/15/547.
The dogs have now been reunited with their owners, see update here
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