Robbery pups are found

Laura Reardon today thanked all those who had helped in the search for her four Dogue de Bourdeaux puppies, snatched in a terrifying robbery earlier this week. But she expressed continuing fears for the one remaining bitch, Pepper, who has yet to be found.

Two men burst into the 31-year-old’s then home in Prestt Grove, Worsley Mesnes, at 8.30pm on Monday and threatened her, her 10-year-old daughter and a family friend with a meat cleaver and kitchen knife before grabbing the 11-week-old dogs and fleeing in a silver VW.

Laura made an appeal in the Wigan Evening Post and at wigantoday and yesterday morning a man heading to work at SED waste management at Bryn saw three of the tan-coloured puppies emerge from the nearby tip.

They followed him and, recalling the robbery appeal, he gathered them up and took them to Land Gate Farm. Laura and the police were called there, and Laura identified bitches Deon and Decota and dog Ty, who had an ear injury.

They are being looked after by a relative of Laura for the time being while Laura herself has moved home because of the trauma of the robbery.

She said: “It was lovely to see them again. They seem to be OK apart from Ty’s ear injury. They were also dirty and had fleas which makes me wonder whether they were kept with other dogs. They also looked a bit thin and were very hungry. We don’t know whether they were dumped because of all the publicity or whether they escaped.

“I’m just glad to have them back. But of course Pepper is still missing and I won’t be happy until she is back too. So if anyone knows where she is, please tell the police.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped with getting the other three back.”

The first robber was white, 25 to 30 years old, about 5ft 8ins, with tanned skin and of stocky build. The second was also white, about 35, 6ft tall, with shaven hair, tattoos on his neck and wearing a grey Nike sweatshirt with multi-coloured detail on the top of the arms. Anyone with information should ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.