Mongrel Mob help Te Kuiti family search for stolen bulldog

A young British bulldog has been stolen at knifepoint from a couple's home in Te Kuiti.

Poppy, a 22-month-old pedigree valued at $3500, was at home with her owners when a man with a knife took her away.

Laura Pierce and her partner, Caine Davies, had just moved to a new house in Te Kuiti and were home with her, late Sunday night, when she was taken from them.

"Caine answered the door to a man wearing black, with a makeshift balaclava," said Pierce.

"He had a knife in his hand and, although he wouldn't speak, he came towards Caine threateningly with the knife.

"He came into our house, into our lounge, purely to get our dog."

The man lunged at Poppy who tried to get away from the masked man. He followed her and Poppy tried to bite him with her baby teeth.

Meanwhile, Davies was trying to get the man to talk by asking him questions.

"He only said three words, he said, 'come here bulldog' in a really horrible voice. She was terrified.

"Then he grabbed her, still holding the knife, and just ran out of the house with her. He just ran down the road."

Pierce had to hold back tears as she told the story.

"She's a really timid dog. She will just be cowering in a corner. She won't drink, she won't eat ... She's our baby. It's like having your child taken from you.

"Neither of us have slept. Every time I close my eyes I hear someone in the house."

The couple are receiving help from the Mongrel Mob  in the area.

"A neighbour [mob member] has a bulldog of his own and has tracked down dogs in the past. He reassured us he would do whatever he could."

Te Awamutu Detective Wayne Cooper said Davies was awake watching television on Sunday at 11.30pm when he heard a knock at the front door.

"A man presented himself wearing a balaclava, was holding a knife in his hand and threatened the male occupier," said Cooper. "He went inside and forcibly took the dog from the address and left on foot.

"[The offender] carried her away down an alleyway and disappeared into the night."

Cooper confirmed the pair have enlisted the help of the local Mongrel Mob to try and track down the dog.

"Obviously they're into the same dogs. They want to reunite the dog with the couple," said Cooper.


"They've got no idea who the offender was and they believe they were targeted because of the valuable pedigree of the dog, to use for breeding."

He said there has been no reports of dogs being stolen at knife point before.

He asks that anyone with information contact police or Crimestoppers 0800555111 and hopes they will be able to reunite the dog with their owners.



- Stuff