Luke, rat terrier

Stolen dog, owner, reunited in time for Christmas
By Samantha Allen
12/23/2013

LOWELL - Norma Von Fricken said she was praying to St. Anthony all day Monday for the safe return of her dog, missing for nine days since her car was stolen in Lowell with the little pet inside.

She said that although she had a few dark days, losing her faith after the incident, this past weekend she knew it would only be a matter of time before her 6-year-old rat terrier Luke showed up again.

Norma Von Fricken snuggles with her returned Luke, who was stolen, along with her Honda Civic, last week. Luke was found in Boston.

Only hours after Von Fricken prayed for her dog, Monday morning she said she received a call from Boston police they had found Luke, and he had been in their pound since last Saturday, Dec. 14, the day Von Fricken's car was stolen.

"I tell you, Jesus is alive and well," Von Fricken said inside her kitchen Monday night, with Luke prancing around her feet.

Meanwhile, a missing pitbull reportedly stolen this past weekend in Tewksbury was also returned according to officials Monday. Von Fricken's drama began when she left the engine running to keep the dog warm when she parked outside Eliot Presbyterian Church in Lowell to drop off some Christmas decorations at that time. She said she ran inside the Summer Street church to make the donation around 11 a.m. and was not gone for longer than 10 minutes.

Von Fricken said she borrowed a friend's car as soon as she got the call Monday and zipped down to the city to claim her friend. A microchip scan confirmed this dog was hers, and she brought him home. Monday night, she said she was preparing a turkey for both of them to enjoy.

A spokesman for the Boston Police Department confirmed Luke was found just outside the police station in Back Bay. Von Fricken's car was still missing as of Monday night.

Von Fricken found Luke three years ago at the Lowell Humane Society. Humane Society Executive Director Jill O'Connell said she was elated when she heard the good news of his safe return. The local shelter had put out a call to help Von Fricken last week, asking residents to be on the lookout for Luke. They coordinated with missing-dog groups in New Hampshire and beyond to keep a sharp eye out for him.

Von Fricken said though she questioned her faith previously, the kindness and support of her community brought her back. She said her mailman took Luke's photo and showed it around the neighborhood to try to help locate him. Then an 8-year-old son of a parishioner called to make sure Von Fricken was doing all right. Monday evening, the Rev. Thysan Sam of Eliot Presbyterian stopped by to check in, too. She told him Luke was completely unharmed and the car thief must have stolen her Honda, and then taken Luke to Boston to drop him off.

"The Lord is in everybody. He's in the mailman, he's in that little child," she said. "... I'm so happy to have Luke back."



Meanwhile, in the Tewksbury case, the dog's owner, Samantha Halley, 24, claimed her ex-boyfriend took her dog, named Lucc, without permission Saturday night when her parents let the dog out into their fenced-in backyard area on Emily Drive. Halley said she saw footprints indicating the dog left the area with another person.

Lucc, a 2-year-old pitbull with golden brown hair and a bright red nose, was returned by an anonymous person according to Tewksbury police on Sunday. Tewksbury police Lt. Robert Stephens said officials continue to investigate whether a person stole Lucc or if the dog was lost on its own.

Lowell Deputy Police Superintendent Deborah Friedl confirmed police will continue to investigate the theft of Von Fricken's vehicle in her case. For now, Von Fricken said she is planning to purchase a new car, and to enjoy Christmas with her family and her beloved dog.


Source: http://www.lowellsun.com/breakingnews/ci_24783521/stolen-dog-owner-reunited-time-christmas