THE devastated owner of a pup that was stolen in a brutal armed heist thinks she may have saw the thugs fleeing the scene in a getaway car.

Caitlin Maley’s partner David, 20, was threatened with an axe and a Stanley knife as thugs stole their beloved dog Cairo from their Pollok home on Wednesday night.

Glasgow Times:

The 21-year-old said: “We’re trying to get CCTV.

“He phoned me just as I was coming in, I didn’t know what had happened yet and a black car came past me.

“I didn’t get the details because I didn’t know yet.”

Glasgow Times:

David told how he opened the door to the balaclava-wearing thugs at around 10pm, thinking it was a takeaway he was waiting on.

“I heard the door going and I closed the living room door behind me for Cairo, because he was excited the door went,” he said.

Glasgow Times:

“I thought it was Caitlin or the takeaway I’d ordered so I opened the door.

“They just came right in and held an axe to my head and told me to get on the ground. They opened the living room door, grabbed Cairo and ran out and went right down the street.

“It was horrible. It’s just the fact I couldn’t do anything about it because they had weapons.”

Glasgow Times:

The couple had only had the American bulldog for two weeks.

Dogs like Cairo can fetch as much as £1000, according to listings on dog selling websites.

David added: “He hasn’t had his jags yet so he shouldn’t even be out.”

Caitlin believes the raid was planned and told how she heard people outside their house.

“David could hear people outside at about 4am, of that morning going into the 14th,” she said.

“He heard the back gate swinging open and he thought he could hear voices, but he thought he was just being paranoid and there wasn’t anyone there.

“But now that we’re thinking about it, have people come down to suss it out? Have they come down to see where they could park and how they could get here?”

The couple are doing everything they can to get the word out about their missing puppy. Their social media appeals went viral last night and a fundraiser has been launched to stump up the cash to pay the kidnappers if they are looking for a ransom.

Caitlin said: “If that’s what they want then we have money we can give them.”

Police have launched a probe into the brutal theft and were seen knocking on doors in neighbouring streets this morning.

The three men involved in the heist are described as being tall with muscular builds. They were wearing black balaclavas and dark coloured tracksuits.

They headed east in the direction of Linthaugh Road and are thought to have made off in a car.

Detective Constable Christopher Sneddon, of Police Scotland’s Glasgow CID Unit, said: “Thankfully nobody has been injured as a result of this incident, but the owner has been left evidently shaken.

“We are appealing to anyone who may have noticed three men acting suspicious in the area to come forward and speak to officers.

“If there is anyone who has possible CCTV or dashcam footage that could assist with our enquiries, please get in touch with police.

“I would also ask if anyone is approached about buying a puppy similar to this to get in contact with police.

“Police can be contacted on 101 quoting incident number 3960 on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.”