The heartbroken family’s relief as their stolen dog is found a year later

Adorable Chihuahua Coco was stolen from a home in Northern Ireland, UK. The coldblooded theft left the owners, especially the 12-year-old Chelsea, with a void that couldn’t be filled. It took a year for the police to locate the pup. The overjoyed familyis 'finally complete again'.

The stolen puppy

Coco, a Chihuahua Jack Russell mixed breed, was stolen from the Gray family’s home last summer. The heartbroken owners and especially their daughter Chelsea were devastated but despite the desperate search, neither they nor the police could find the pooch.

Sergeant Matt Boucher of Belfast Police said:

Coco’s disappearance had a devastating impact on her family and our enquiries have been ongoing since her disappearance to try and find her. Unfortunately, despite a number of sightings of Coco in the days after she disappeared, she was never located.

More than a year has gone by before the case saw some progress.

The family is 'finally complete again'

A tip-off led police to a property in the north Belfast area. The officers carried out a search there and found and seized a dog that looked very much like Coco.

The tiny pup was rushed to a vet to check on her wellbeing, and her microchip details confirmed that it was, indeed, Coco.

The officers were ‘delighted to be able to return her to her rightful owners after 15 months away’.

The sweet reunion saw the happy pup who ‘started barking with excitement as soon as she saw the house’ her owners lived. She also ‘wouldn't stop jumping all over’ them as soon as she saw the family.

Matt Boucher commented:

It was a great feeling to see the Gray family’s reaction when we arrived unannounced at their front door with Coco in our arms.

The Grays told Belfast Live that they had ‘lost hope’ that they would ever find Coco after she had been missing for so long and now their family is ‘finally complete again’.

Late birthday surprise

Coco’s return home made a fantastic late birthday surprise for her owner Chelsea, who celebrated her 13th birthday just a day before reuniting with the pooch.

Chelsea’s sister Chloe Gray said:

I couldn't believe my eyes when I came home and saw her. It was my little sister's birthday yesterday and I had thought we had got a new dog and I couldn't stop screaming when I saw that it was her.

A 36-year-old male was cautioned on suspicion of handling stolen goods. Police enquiries remain ongoing.

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