'Cowardly' thief snatches chihuahua puppy outside supermarket

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A dog owner today condemned the “cowardly” thief who snatched his chihuahua puppy outside a supermarket and bundled her into a car.

George Calf, 71, was showing off five-month-old Hannah to a group of women in Well Street, Hackney when a man walked over.

Footage apparently shows him taking the dog off one of the women before calmly walking away. The man then went to a Volvo estate and drove off with Mr Calf in pursuit.

Mr Calf said: “He was so casual about it. He reached out for Hannah and scooped her out of this poor woman’s hands who was holding her for me.

“He said, ‘I’m just going to show the wife’ before jumping into this car and speeding off like a lunatic with smoke trailing behind him.

Abducted: five-month-old Hannah was a favourite around markets in Hackney, says her owner George Calf

“I tried to chase after him even though he was much bigger than me but he was long gone. If I saw him I could have made something up about her having just been born and wouldn’t have let him near her — it just didn’t seem right.

“But I was worried that he would drop her and she could be injured and have to be put down so I didn’t want to fight him.”

The part-time breeder, who owns four other chihuahuas, says he thinks the thief will use the £1,500 puppy for breeding.

Clue: it is claimed footage shows a man walking up to Mr Calf, who was talking to a woman in a yellow coat, then taking Hannah the chihuahua

Since the theft, at 4pm last Sunday, he has been searching derelict areas of the borough after receiving tip-offs on social media.

“I’m so worried about her, she will be terrified,” he said. “I have been to some scary places trying to look for her, sometimes you don’t know what you’re going to get yourself into.

“I’m worried he will just get rid of her now he knows we’re on to him. She is a beautiful dog who can fit in the palm of your hand.

“I would be over the moon to get her back with her family where she belongs. All the people at the markets round here loved her and people are in tears about it. She was the one everyone would dote over because she was so small.”

Police have told Mr Calf, who is offering a reward for Hannah’s safe return, that they hope to obtain the getaway car’s registration on council CCTV cameras.

A Met spokesman said: “Police are investigating the theft of a chihuahua puppy from Well Street E9 around 3.55pm on Sunday, April 16.

“The owner, a 71-year-old man, was showing the dog to some passers-by when it was grabbed by a man. The man walked to a silver car parked in Poole Road, got inside and made off towards Cassland Road and then Gascoyne Road.

“He is described as white, around 6ft 2ins and stocky. He wore a white T-shirt, black jeans and black shoes. A woman was also in the car.

“There have been no arrests and enquiries continue. Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or @MetCC.”

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