A man charged with the theft of dog which was dragged out of its shocked owner’s car is wanted by police after failing to appear at court.
Edward Connors, 24, from Peeks Brook Lane in Horley, was due to appear at Brighton Magistrates Court this morning charged with stealing Edwin Lugg’s dog Pip in October last year.
Pip, a greyhound-Great Dane crossbreed, was dragged from Mr Lugg’s car after being walked in Falmer Road, Woodingdean, on October 12 last year.
Prosecuting, Paul Lamb said: “Three men got out of a car and starting asking about the dog and where he got it from. He told them it was a rescue dog then started they started asking to look at it.
“One of the men leant in and grabbed the dog out of the car. He tried to get out and was blocked from doing so.”
She was reunited with Mr Lugg after he put an appeal on Facebook, which was viewed by thousands of people – two of which, both nurses, spotted Pip wandering the grounds of Burgess Hill Hospital the following day.
Mr Lamb added: “The dog was found wandering the following day fortunately but clearly the distress was a quite high level.”
After Connors failed to appear this morning, district judge Tessa Szagun issued a warrant for his arrest.