Police have reunited a stolen puppy with its owners in Newcastle today.
About 2.30pm on Wednesday 26 February 2020, police were called after 'Athena', an 11-week-old American Staffordshire Terrier, was stolen from the balcony of a home on Parry Street, Cooks Hill.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District commenced inquiries and appealed to the community for assistance.
Acting on information from the community, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District stopped a 34-year-old man with the alleged stolen puppy on Court House Lane in Toronto about 11.20am yesterday (Saturday 29 February 2020).
The man was arrested and taken to Toronto Police Station, where he was charged with steal dog and possess stolen dog.
Police will allege in court that the man saw the dog when walking past the home and stole it.
He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Toronto Local Court on Tuesday 10 March 2020.
The dog was taken to Belmont Police Station, where she was given water and playtime, before being taken back to her very happy owners.
