A woman has been reunited with her dog after she says her pet was stolen at gunpoint on Saturday morning in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Sophia Radich told WTOP she was reunited with her dog on Sunday afternoon after a tipster spotted Yana, a small Havanese, in Landover and reached out.
“I’m just incredibly thankful for everyone who was taking notice of all the signs and especially to the man who found her,” she said, adding that her dog is home “safe and sound.”
The man located Yana after seeing a flyer, which Radich said she had hung up only about an hour and a half before the reunion.
The robbery reportedly happened near the 4800 block of Avondale Overlook Drive in Chillum at around 7 a.m. on Saturday, according to Prince George’s County police.
Before the reunion, Radich was sharing photos of Yana online and posting flyers near her apartment, as well as nearby busy areas like bus stops and metro stations.
“I put the $5,000 reward on it, because, like, this is my child,” Radich told WTOP earlier on Sunday. “I’m going to get her back.”
Prince George’s County police have said they’re investigating the reported armed robbery.
What happened
Before leaving for a trip, Sophia Radich said she took her dog, Yana, for a walk outside of her apartment building. That’s when she said two suspects approached her from behind.
Footage from a neighbor’s Ring camera shows the scene where one suspect, wearing a ski mask, demanded she hand over her dog — Yana, a small Havanese.
“I thought he was pulling a prank or something,” Radich told WTOP, adding that she believed the suspects appeared to be kids or teens.
The masked suspect tried to take the dog’s leash from Radich, who pulled the leash back. He then pulled out a gun and held it to the dog owner’s head, she said.
“He’s yanking her so hard that, like, it’s pulling on her neck,” Radich said. “He was carrying her, basically by her neck, by the leash. So I let go, so she wasn’t strangled.”
The masked suspect continued to point a gun at her while running away. Radich said when she tried to call 911, the second suspect chased after her.
“I don’t want my dog in danger ever, so if that means they had to take her to not kill me, so be it,” she said.
Radich said she tripped and that suspect got “on top of me trying to get my phone.” He ran off after she called for help and fought back.
“I was horrified — 7 a.m., broad daylight like that,” she said.
Radich said the suspects left in a black vehicle.
Police haven’t placed an official lookout on a vehicle.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the department.
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