memphiz
07-28-2004, 10:59 PM
A little Yorkshire terrier is back safe and sound with his owner in the Valley Springs area after kidnappers received $10,000 for the canine's freedom.
Ten-year-old Sandy was taken sometime July 20, according to information from the Sheriff's Department.
The dog serves as a companion for Frank Compton, 80, whose wife died about four years ago.
Compton said he and Sandy had gone for their usual evening walk, after which Compton fixed dinner.
About 9 or 10 p.m. "I noticed that he was missing," Compton said.
He searched the neighborhood in vain, finally giving up as it grew late.
"So finally I went back and had a sleepless night," Compton said.
About 2 p.m. the next day, Compton got a call from someone saying they had his dog and wanted $10,000 in exchange for Sandy's freedom.
Compton told the man he only had a couple of thousand dollars in his checking account, but he said that wasn't enough. They wanted $10,000, and if Compton got authorities involved in the matter, the dog would die.
"I didn't know just what to do," Compton said.
Saying he's not a wealthy man, Compton said he first thought he just wouldn't pay the ransom, but then realized the dog meant too much to him.
"I couldn't let him die," Compton said.
He was told to drop the money off at the Mokelumne River fish hatchery near Clements.
When he got there in the early evening, two men in a white sedan began following him, and one got out of the car and approached him with a knife at the facility's locked gate, telling Compton his dog was farther up the road.
When Compton said he wanted to see Sandy and got out of the car, the man grabbed the money from his hand and jumped back into the sedan, which sped off before Compton could get the license number.
"I searched and searched for about two or three hours," Compton said, but he was unable to find Sandy.
That night at home he heard a car door slam "and about a minute or two later I saw Sandy running out there in the backyard," Compton said.
Compton said he knows who may be behind the incident, and said revenge might also be a motive, but he doesn't have any proof.
Sheriff's Detective Chris Villegas said Monday he had just received the report and is checking into some leads, but added it was too early at this point to determine just who or what was behind the dognapping.
Who steals a dog away from an 80 year old man, then asks for a $10K ransom ...people are effed up
Ten-year-old Sandy was taken sometime July 20, according to information from the Sheriff's Department.
The dog serves as a companion for Frank Compton, 80, whose wife died about four years ago.
Compton said he and Sandy had gone for their usual evening walk, after which Compton fixed dinner.
About 9 or 10 p.m. "I noticed that he was missing," Compton said.
He searched the neighborhood in vain, finally giving up as it grew late.
"So finally I went back and had a sleepless night," Compton said.
About 2 p.m. the next day, Compton got a call from someone saying they had his dog and wanted $10,000 in exchange for Sandy's freedom.
Compton told the man he only had a couple of thousand dollars in his checking account, but he said that wasn't enough. They wanted $10,000, and if Compton got authorities involved in the matter, the dog would die.
"I didn't know just what to do," Compton said.
Saying he's not a wealthy man, Compton said he first thought he just wouldn't pay the ransom, but then realized the dog meant too much to him.
"I couldn't let him die," Compton said.
He was told to drop the money off at the Mokelumne River fish hatchery near Clements.
When he got there in the early evening, two men in a white sedan began following him, and one got out of the car and approached him with a knife at the facility's locked gate, telling Compton his dog was farther up the road.
When Compton said he wanted to see Sandy and got out of the car, the man grabbed the money from his hand and jumped back into the sedan, which sped off before Compton could get the license number.
"I searched and searched for about two or three hours," Compton said, but he was unable to find Sandy.
That night at home he heard a car door slam "and about a minute or two later I saw Sandy running out there in the backyard," Compton said.
Compton said he knows who may be behind the incident, and said revenge might also be a motive, but he doesn't have any proof.
Sheriff's Detective Chris Villegas said Monday he had just received the report and is checking into some leads, but added it was too early at this point to determine just who or what was behind the dognapping.
Who steals a dog away from an 80 year old man, then asks for a $10K ransom ...people are effed up