Maxx, maltese

Dog stolen from yard returned
Posted: 03/05/12

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida family has been reunited with their pet dog after the woman who took the dog returned him.

Barbara Ferran and her three children now have their 7-pound Maltese mix "Maxx" back after their surveillance video caught a woman stealing the dog.

7News aired the story on Sunday and shortly after the woman walked back up to the house with Maxx. "Not even 10 minutes ago she started knocking on the door," said Ferran. "Because of your broadcast, we got our dog back and we got him so quickly, that's the good thing, right baby?."

Thursday afternoon, Ferran's children came home and opened their front gate. Home surveillance video shows the family's two dogs, Maxx included, sprint into the front yard.

The children left Maxx and their other dog outside to play like they always do. "I think the Jack Russell came back in but I don't remember seeing my dog, Maxx, come back in a second time," said Bianca Benitez.

Several minutes later, the same surveillance video shows a white sport utility vehicle pull into the family's driveway. A neighbor then walks over to talk to the female driver inside the SUV. The female driver gets out of her vehicle and appears to play with both dogs. "They we're both loose in the front, which implies that she didn't care about whether they were safe or not," said Barbara Ferran. "If she was concerned about that, she would have come to the door or perhaps put them behind the gate."

Then it looks like a woman is specifically trying to get Maxx' attention. When she does, the video shows the woman scooping Maxx up, walking back to the car and driving away with the dog. "He would always just bark really loud if he felt something was strange coming towards him or happening," said Lazaro Benitez.

The family is grateful Maxx is now back where he belongs. "She handed me the dog and she said, ‘Take better care of the dog. I almost ran him over,’” said Bianca Benitez. "I'm honestly happy that I got my dog back but I mean, the way that woman came, she was so furious."

The woman who took Maxx denied any wrongdoing to the family. "And I said, 'You're the woman that stole our dog.' And she say, 'I didn't steal your dog.' And I say, 'Of course you stole my dog!'" said Ferran.

With no apology and no explanation, the woman left the same way she came- without regard for the family. "She came here like a pit bull arguing. I mean she screamed at my daughter when she answered the door," said Ferran.

Ferran followed the woman to her vehicle, took down the license plate number and intends on giving it to police.

Source: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21006861601031/dog-stolen-from-yard-returned/
Original video here