Albany Police investigating two stolen dogs
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -An investigation is underway after a family tells NEWS10 their two dogs were stolen from their front porch over the weekend. While Albany Police look into the disappearance, the owners say they are offering a $2,000 reward for their return.
The Williams family lives in the Hudson Park Neighborhood with their French bulldogs Anya and Nova. While away for the weekend, they say a family member was visiting to let the dogs out when they got through the fence. "I guess they squeezed out and within a few moments they were taken," said Willis Williams.
Williams says his fence was damaged by recent storms. A sheet of orange safety fencing has been in its place and at the bottom, a rip in the plastic. He says it seemed like the dogs had simply run away. "We really spent all of Sunday and into the evening looking for them and posting flyers."
All that work came with a lead. A neighbor told the Williamses they saw someone take their French bulldogs from the front porch. Willis then filed a report with Albany Police.
"She didn't know they were our dogs. She thought that they were the people who were collecting them. She thought they were their dogs. So, she didn't realize what was happening until she saw the flyers," said Willis. "Albany Police told us that they would pull video footage from Price Chopper and video footage from the city camera on the green light."
Both dogs are microchipped but Willis explained they do not track the dogs' location. Instead, if brought to a vet, the chips are scanned and have the owner's contact information.
"Two female French bulldogs and you hear that people will take them to try and sell. I have a son, a young son, and they're basically his best friends and ours too."
The investigation into who might have stolen these dogs is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Albany Police at (518) 462-8039.