A five-year-old boy has been reunited with his stolen puppy after a thief broke into the family home through the kitchen window.
Tyler, who has autism and struggles to communicate with people, developed an "indescribable bond" with new French bulldog Stitch.
Then last Thursday, a stranger crept into the house in Walton, Liverpool, and robbed 12-week-old Stitch, Liverpool Echo reports.
Mum Karen Higgins, 30, was devastated and frightened to hear a "big smash" downstairs at night.
But thankfully, Merseyside Police were quick to react and arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of burglary less than 24 hours later.
Tyler and Stitch are now back together again and Karen "can't thank Merseyside police enough".
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At around 10pm on Thursday, May 19, Karen heard her 15-month-old French bulldog, Vitani, "aggressively" barking in the kitchen.
She ran straight to the back room of her home on Wilburn Street, Walton, and saw her fence was wide open.
The mum-of-two hurried into the street "somebody is in my house" and called the police.
Karen said: "I had just locked up and put the dogs in the kitchen before heading upstairs to bed to watch the soaps. I heard this sound of dishes crashing and a big smash, which was a candle my eldest got me for Mother's Day.
"I ran straight to the window and saw the back fence open. I would never do that because it's always bolted because of the dogs.
"I ran into the street because I was too scared to go into the kitchen, I was screaming 'somebody is in my house' but nobody was listening.
"In the end somebody came over and went into the kitchen for me and said my dog (Stitch) was gone and the window was forced open."
Karen had only bought the puppy a month earlier for her son and said Stitch has been "stuck to Tyler like glue".
She explained: "Since he came into the house (Stitch) he's made a bond with this boy, they're inseparable. I can't even describe this bond.
"He was staying at his dad's and every time I FaceTime him he says 'where's the baby', that's what he calls Stitch."
Merseyside Police are investigating the incident after finding the dog's collar in a home in Walton.
A spokesperson from Merseyside Police said: "At around 10.05pm we received a report that a French bulldog puppy had been stolen from an address on Wilburn Street.
"Following enquiries, police arrested a 31-year-old man from Walton on suspicion of burglary. He was taken into custody and will be questioned by police. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing."
Stitch has since been returned to the family. Karen added: "I can’t thank Merseyside police enough for what they did for my family."
Do you have a story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
