Alameda Woman Reunited With Pilfered Pooch

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) ― A Yorkshire terrier who was snatched by a thief in Alameda has been returned to its 80-year-old owner.

Alameda Police Lt. Sean Lynch said Thursday that a Stockton woman who had bought the pilfered pooch on the street for $20 realized the dog had been stolen after watching a news report.

The 6-year-old dog named Deuce was reunited with Helen Bignone on Wednesday night.

Lynch says the two were "overjoyed to see each other."

Authorities say Bignone was walking on a street in Alameda on Oct. 30 when two men robbed her of her purse and dog.

The suspect in the case, 19-year-old Christopher Perkins, told police he had let the dog go free at a Stockton park last week.

Police have identified a "person of interest" who could be the second suspect in the case. 

(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)