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Man buys 2 pit bulls, and they are stolen less than 24 hours later

By Fraendy Clervaud

Franklin Tarver bought two pit bulls for his family on Monday. Less than 24-hours later, somebody stole them.

Tarver: "I wasn't raising them to fight or anything like that. I was raising them to be family dogs, house dogs, and now their gone."

He bought a male and a female, they went to the vet got checked and were ready to be part of the family. Tarver says he believes the dog napper is someone in his neighborhood, along Gay Drive. He says it's an unfortunate event, and one that he will never forget.

The owner says someone jumped his fence came over to thr cage and took the two pit bulls, but left the labrador.

Although he has one pet left, the other dog dishes are still missing their owners.

Richmond County investigators say dog stealing is becoming all too common.

Seargeant Ken Eskew, Richmond County Sheriff's Office: "There's just dozens of cases of where dogs are stolen. Generally they are the breeded dogs. The dogs that are registered; such as a pit bull, or english bulldog, these dogs are expensive."

Investigators say selling stolen dogs can mean more money for the bandits, but that can also mean danger for the dogs.

Sgt. Eskew: "I can't say they will end up in that situation; being involved in dog fighting. Can't say they won't."

Tarver says after all this his family doesn't feel safe. "If they'll come to my house and steal my dogs, and jump the gate to get the dogs, they'll take my car. They'll take any thing they want."

Tarver has one message for the dogs' thief:

"If they don't mind, can they bring them back? It won't be animosity, no anger, no hatred. Just bring my dogs back."

http://www.wjbf.com/midatlantic/jbf/...6-14-0032.html