Pet owner's appeal over stolen puppy
A pet owner has turned to the Reading Post for help after her puppy was stolen just months after she lost her partner and discovered she was suffering from an inoperable condition.
David Millward
Heartbreak: Barbara Thomas with a picture of Mr Biggs
Barbara Thomas, of West Reading, was devastated by the loss of her beloved pet pug on top of her run of bad news.
And she was in tears last week when she received a letter from the police saying they had been unable to identify the burglars and her case was being filed.
Ms Thomas, of Norfolk Road, said: "I only had him for a month but he was company for me because I'm on my own now.
"How could they do this to me?
"I'm disabled and I just don't know what to do any more."
The 54-year-old bought the five-month-old dog she named Mr Biggs to keep her company after losing her partner to cancer last February.
In July, she said she had been told by doctors her main artery was blocked but it was too risky to carry out an operation.
Ms Thomas was out on the afternoon of November 16, last year, when burglars struck at her home.
She said: "The boys next door phoned the police because these men were kicking my back door.
"I don't know how long it took the police to get there but there were witnesses who did see the men. A lady from The Spread Eagle pub also saw it happen.
"They took my puppy and my mobility money."
She continued: "I kept going to the police and I said I would go to the press but they told me not to.
"They said they had three men on bail and then all of a sudden, out of the blue, I get this letter."
The letter from Reading CID read: "At this time I am writing to inform you that, unfortunately, all lines of investigation have not identified the offender in your case.
"I am not able to open up any new avenues of enquiry. As a result, I have to file your case as being undetected at this time."
Rhianne Pope, a spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police, said Ms Thomas should contact the force's quality of service department if she was unhappy with the way her case was handled.
Anyone with any information should contact Thames Valley Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.