A 10-month-old cavoodle named Dora, allegedly stolen from outside a shopping plaza in Melbourne's southeast, has been reunited with her family. Police have charged one woman and are searching for a remaining offender.
Dora was tied to a pole outside 670 Chapel St in South Yarra on Monday afternoon while her owner, Frank Wong, went grocery shopping for about 15 minutes. CCTV footage allegedly shows two women noticing the dog, entering the shopping centre, then returning to take the puppy and walking north on Chapel St.
Police shared images of the suspects, and on Wednesday morning, officers found Dora at a property on Barnett Gr in Noble Park, about 30km away. The puppy was uninjured and returned to her family. A 19-year-old woman was arrested at the property and charged with theft. She was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 28.
A second woman, aged 27, self-presented to a police station and was interviewed but released pending further inquiries. Police believe one female offender remains outstanding, described as Caucasian, in her 20s, with long brown hair, last seen wearing a black t-shirt and Adidas tracksuit pants.
Wong described the experience as an "absolute rollercoaster of emotions" and expressed gratitude for the support from the media, public, and police. Sergeant Ryan Gilmore said community assistance provided the extra push to locate Dora.
