They lured the dog to the fence and stole it

Surveillance cameras show two men and two children approaching a fence, stealing a dog, and driving away. A family from Świnoujście is devastated. The dog helped them through family tragedies.

The brazen theft of a dog, which shocked more than just Świnoujście residents, occurred on Sunday, July 27th, a few minutes after 5 p.m. Three cars, including a silver Chrysler Voyager with Stargard license plates, pulled up in front of a property on Okólna Street. Two men and two girls got out. A home security camera captured them dragging a German Shepherd from behind a fence by throwing it food, while the girls lured the poodle with treats. They then pulled the small dog through a bent section of the fence, got into the car, and drove away.

"We were home at the time," says a distraught Beata Tomasiewicz, owner of the stolen Bichon Frisé. "After work, I have a ritual: I freshen up and watch Teleexpres. The balcony was open; we left it open so the dogs could go outside. The last time I saw Dziunia was at 5 p.m. Half an hour later, I got up and she was gone."

The incident was recorded on surveillance cameras. The family who had been robbed checked the cameras when they noticed the fence was bent in one spot. They reported the theft to the Świnoujście police. The dog, which cost the Świnoujście family 5,000 złoty (did that tempt the thieves?), was microchipped.

"The thief's identity has been established, but unfortunately the dog isn't home yet; the police are working on it," Olga Tomasiewicz wrote on Facebook on the evening of July 28. "Thank you for so many shares and publicizing this case. I can't believe all this absurdity. Thank you also for every message, help, and information. Keep your fingers crossed and watch over your friends."

The dog helped with therapy

Beata says they've had the dog from an elite breeder since September 2022. They bought him for their then-10-year-old grandson, whom they now have in foster care. After his father's death, they bought him a dog on the advice of a psychologist to help him cope with the trauma. Dogs of this breed have a friendly disposition. Dziunia, now three years old, has had a therapeutic effect on the entire family; Beata's husband's cancer added to the problems.

"The thieves most likely moved to Scandinavia on July 27th," Beata continues. "The police are wondering if they all dared to cross with that dog, or if only one car remained. They were here in three cars. They had previously stolen from shops and gas stations. They were Roma. They already had criminal records. The car with Stargard license plates was recently purchased from a second-hand shop; we checked it out. We suspect the thieves boarded a ferry and sailed away." Beata also asked friends in Sweden to report the theft there.

The police are looking for the perpetrators

We are asking the Świnoujście police about their actions, which include securing surveillance and collecting evidence.

"We have launched an investigation into this matter," says Sergeant Kinga Magdij from the Świnoujście Municipal Police Headquarters. "Trial and extra-trial activities are underway to identify the perpetrators of the theft. We haven't recorded similar incidents before; this is an isolated incident."

For the sake of the investigation, police are not disclosing any specific steps they are taking to find the perpetrators and the stolen dog. ©℗

Wioletta MORDASIEWICZ