HEROIC CANINE: The Maltese that led police to the suspects’ hideout.
NABBED: The male suspect being led to the One Stop Centre at Simpang Tiga for investigation.
JOB WELL DONE: Inspector Dorai Rajah inspecting the seized items after the raid.
KUCHING: A Maltese’s short dash to freedom helped police crack two pet shop break-ins shortly before midnight on Sunday.
The dog, which belonged to Little Pet Shop in Jalan Song, was among 12 dogs stolen from Little Pet Shop in Jalan Song, a pet shop at Green Heights, and elsewhere recently.
On Sunday, the adorable white canine managed to escape from the thieves’ hideout at Taman Riveria in Samarahan, but a male suspect managed to catch him after a short chase on foot.
A neighbour saw the chase and he recognised the Maltese through Facebook postings about him being missing, and immediately alerted the Little Pet Shop owner, who is identified only as Chong.
Chong immediately lodged a police report and police raided the terrace house at about 11.30pm.
The police raiding team, led by Inspector Dorai Rajah, found 12 dogs of various breeds, such as Maltese, Pincher and Pomerinarian.
They arrested a woman aged 21 years and a 26-year-old man on the spot, and seized a Perodua Myvi car, in which the engine chassis number was found to have been tempered, four gold coloured sports car rims and several electric appliances from the house.
The suspects are believed to be from Sibu.
Of the 12 dogs recovered, seven have been identified by Chong as hers’ while a Pincher belonged to the pet shop at Green Heights.
Chong told reporters at the crime scene that her shop was broken into at about 4.30am on Dec 15.
“My workers stayed above the shop, and they heard dogs barking that morning.
“When they went downstairs to check, they saw a man carrying dogs into a blue-coloured Proton Wira. My workers believed there were at least two people involved as they overheard a conversation,” said Chong.
She added that her workers then called the police, but by the time they arrived the thieves, who had entered the shop by smashing the front glass window and forcing open the grill, had fled.
“A total of 11 dogs from my shop were stolen, but only seven were recovered and four are still missing.”
The pet shop at Green Height was broken into last Friday, and among the items reported missing were a dog, pet food, pet grooming tools and pet cages.
Meanwhile, the four unidentified pets are now kept at Little Pet Shop. Pet owners who have missing pets are advised to come forward to identity them.