MILWAUKEE — Symba the one-year-old cockapoo is back with his family after being stolen on Christmas Eve. The family said brothers Caiden and Isaac were out for a walk when a man approached them and demanded their dog at gunpoint.
Last week, the family put up 'missing dog' posters around their neighborhood, and shared them online and with TMJ4 News. On New Year's Eve, Tysha Chambers, Symba's owner, got a call.
"He told me that pretty much he was going to be my angel. He didn't want no reward or anything like that. He didn't care about the money," Tysha recalled.
The Chambers family had advertised a $1,500 reward for Symba's safe return.
The person on the other line wanted to remain anonymous but told Tysha where she could find Symba. On New Year's Day, she decided to drive over to the house the caller told her about. She asked some other residents in the area if they had seen Symba and showed them pictures. One couple said they saw Symba the day before.
Tysha went up to the house she was told about and told the person there that she received a call that her dog was there. She showed the person a picture of Symba, and, amazingly, Symba was returned.
The Chambers family rejoiced.
"When he got home I made sure I had the chicken over his kibble," Tysha said about the special meal she prepared him.
Brothers Caiden (13) and Isaac (14) Chambers couldn't stop cuddling up to and playing with Symba.
"When he came back, he was smelling like fish, so we gave him a bath and we gave him some love," Caiden said about being reunited with his dog. "I'm happy to have him back. I really missed him."
The brothers are still, understandably, shaken up about what happened to them on Christmas Eve. TMJ4's Sarah McGrew asked them how they were feeling.
"I don't really know right now," Isaac responded. "I'm just happy to have my dog back even though that situation was kind of bad."
Caiden said their grateful to the anonymous caller who helped them get their dog back.
"The man who gave us the tips, he's an angel. It's nice to know we have people like that in the world to give us information about where our things are and not even want money for it," Caiden said.
For the Chambers family, Symba's return was priceless.
Police have been investigating the incident as an armed robbery. On Tuesday, MPD told TMJ4 News that they're still searching for unknown suspects.
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