'We want our dog back': Family is robbed of Christmas gifts, jewelry and beloved pet after break-in

A family’s home was broken in to, and jewelry, Christmas gifts and their beloved dog were taken. (Photo: Diana Alvarado via Facebook)
A family’s home was broken in to, and jewelry, Christmas gifts and their beloved dog were taken. (Photo: Diana Alvarado via Facebook)

A woman knew something was wrong as soon as she entered her Dallas home after work on Friday afternoon.

Her suspicions were raised by the open cabinets and drawers, but it was the silence of the house that bothered her the most. Her family’s beloved dog, Smokey, was nowhere to be found.

When Diana Alvarado reached her master bedroom, it felt even more real. She found her bedroom window was forced open and the suspect, or suspects, had stolen electronics, jewelry, Christmas gifts and, worst of all, Smokey.

“It looks like they took everything out through the window,” Diana Alvarado told local Houston news station KHOU. “We found Christmas bows in the backyard and alley.”

Smokey, a 60-pound American pocket bully who is almost 2 years old, is usually at Alvarado’s feet when she comes home. “He’s a part of our family, a very important part,” she said, “They just took a member of our family.”

A surveillance camera on the street was able to capture a maroon SUV and an unknown man who approached the family’s home, according to KHOU. While Alvarado initially offered a $500 reward for Smokey with hopes he would be home for the holidays, neighbors pitched in and the reward for the dog’s safe return has risen to $1,500.

“Presents can be replaced, material things can be replaced,” Alvarado said. “They also stole our piggy bank that we’d been saving for a long time. It was a water jug filled with coins and dollar bills, but we want our dog back. That’s the most important thing for us, is our dog.”

“I just hope that they [burglar] can find it in their heart to return Smokey,” Alvarado said.

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