Heartbroken family appeal for help after two puppies stolen

Les and Rachel Norman from Thatto Heath were elated when their dog had four puppies.

Deposits had been taken for the two female Bichon Frise puppies, with just the two boys left for sale.

Yesterday, Monday, March 1, Les received a call from a man who said he was interested in buying both puppies, and he came to the family house after work to see them.

Les, 36, said: "I got the phone call from a guy with an Irish accent, saying he was coming from Wythenshawe and asking what puppies were available.

CCTV shows Les, in the green hoodie, as a man heads to the car

"I said the two boy puppies were still available for £3,000 each. He said if he took both could he have some money off, as his brother wanted one, so I said they could have both for £5,000.

"They arrived around 6pm, both with really thick Irish accents, and asked to see the dogs, which were all together in a dog crate in the lounge in the house.

"They lifted them all up and said 'these are girls, these ones are the boys' and then the taller of the two who was about 6ft 6'' wearing a flat cap and wellies asked could he take the puppies to the car to show the kids while his brother sorted the payment, and I said yes.

"His brother, who was wearing all black and a black cap asked me if he could have both dogs for even less, and I said no, then he asked me to to put my bank details in a banking app and it said transaction complete.

"It looked legitimate, but I wanted to check with my online banking before I let them take the dogs.

"Then I looked outside and the car was slowly driving away.

"His brother who was in the house with me then ran out and got in the car with him and they drove off.

"It wasn't until later I realised they hadn't even taken the boy pups, but took the girls who we've had deposits for."

A CCTV image of one the men

Les and Rachel called the police but have not yet been visited by officers.

Les, a landscape gardener, added: "My daughters were terrified last night that they would come back and take the other puppies and our dog.

"All I can imagine now is that they want to use the female dogs to breed again and again when they are old enough, which is horrible to think about.

"It's disgusting really, and it's not really about the money, you want to make sure they are going off somewhere good and clearly these guys haven't got good intentions to only take the girls.

"We are just desperate to have them back and know they are OK."