A LANDSCAPE gardener looked on in disbelief as his pick-up truck - containing his family dog - was stolen.
Justin Dawtry described how "everything went in slow motion" as he watched his Nissan Navara being driven away with his pet Blue in the back.
The dad-of-two, who lives in Todwick with wife Julie and sons Freddie, two, and Henry, seven months, said Freddie was missing the family pet.
Justin said: "He keeps asking me where Blue is and telling me to go and fetch her.
"The truck and the tools are probably worth about £30,000 but I'm not bothered about them - we just want Blue back home where she belongs."
Justin was laying a patio at a house in Swinston Hill, Dinnington.
He had put Blue - a Weimaraner bitch worth £700 - in the truck to stop her getting covered in concrete.
He thinks his car keys were stolen from his jumper pocket earlier that morning after he took it off because it was hot.
The thieves returned later to pinch the vehicle.
Justin, aged 32, who takes Blue to work with him every day, said: "I heard the van door open which made me turn around.
"Then everything happened in slow motion - I could see they were going to drive off with it but I was stuck in the middle of this concrete in my wellies and there was nothing I could do. I could see Blue's little face looking back at me wondering what was happening."
He added although his materials and the truck were insured, the theft had left him without vital tools at his busiest time of year.
He added: "All my clients know Blue and look forward to seeing her more than me!
"We just want whoever took her to have a bit of heart and drop her off at a shelter or a kennel or call someone so that she can come home."
The Dawtrys are offering a reward to anyone who finds six-year-old Blue or can supply information about her whereabouts.
South Yorkshire Police are investigating the theft at around 2.40pm last Wednesday May 7.
What do you think? Add your comment below.READ MOREMain news indexMore Rotherham newsMore Doncaster newsLatest sport.Check out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic sectionThe full article contains 404 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
