Couple’s dog stolen by man pretending to help them, NC cops say. Now they’re reunited

A man offered to help a couple outside a restaurant in North Carolina, then he stole their beloved 6-year-old dog, according to police and the dog’s owners.

Now, the family has been reunited, and two people face charges of larceny of a dog, police shared.

A husband and wife were heading to their car outside Kickback Jack’s the evening of Jan. 3 when a 25-year-old man offered to assist them, the Southern Pines Police Department said in a Jan. 6 news release.

“I was reaching in to get the dog and he says ‘I can get him,’ and didn’t think anything of it,” Willard Hiatt told WRAL.

Then the stranger grabbed their Shih Tzu and ran off to a getaway car driven by a 21-year-old woman, police said.

Teresa Hiatt of Moore County shared the news of her dog’s abduction on social media, drawing an outpouring of support and hundreds of shares on her Facebook posts.

In the coming days, searchers brought out multiple drones and a tracking dog to look for Kodiak, who also goes by Kody.

But despite their efforts and professional help, Kodiak eluded searchers.

Then the morning of Jan. 6, Teresa Hiatt said she got a call and heard the words “I think I found your dog.”

While news of Kodiak’s disappearance had spread on Facebook, the people who found Kodiak hadn’t seen any of the posts, Hiatt said.

The accused dognappers left Kodiak’s collar on, so when a man found Kodiak wandering on a rural road in another county, he was able to call the couple, Hiatt shared on Facebook.

“I started bawling,” Hiatt wrote.

After the couple got their dog back, they took him to the vet and learned he’s in good health, just thirsty and down a pound.

“He is very tired,” Hiatt shared. “We will all 3 sleep well tonight!”

She thanked the community members for all their support and for praying for Kody’s safe return.

The same day Kodiak was returned to the Hiatts, police announced the arrest of the two accused dognappers.

Moore County is about a 65-mile drive southwest from Raleigh.