Latest news with #Gawrysiak
News.com.au
26-04-2025
- News.com.au
Distressing moment dog stolen from dad on walk by group of youths
There has been a happy end to a nightmare situation that unfolded for a 72-year-old dad walking his dog in Melbourne. Five-year-old Morticia, known as 'Morti', who was stolen from her owner Boguslaw Gawrysiak by a group of youths in a distressing situation in Mount Waverley on Friday was returned home on Saturday evening. Mr Gawrysiak was walking Morti along Huntingdale Road at about 2.30am when a black Holden Commodore with five young people, who looked to be in their late teens and early 20s, approached. Mr Gawrysiak's daughter Ewa Gawrysiak told those in the car started yelling demands for Morti like 'we want the dog' and 'give us the dog'. '[Dad] blew it off as drunks coming home after a night out,' Ewa said, explaining her family were shift workers and it wasn't unusual for her dad to walk the dog after finishing work in the early hours of the morning. But then, she said, they came to a stop and at least one person appeared to exit the car. Mr Gawrysiak ran into a nearby convenience store on Waverley Road in Chadstone. Ewa said her dad was 'hiding' with Morti in the store when the two young women and three young men all confronted him. She said her dad tried to pull Morti back as one of the women patted her saying how 'cute' she was, but then the dog was unhooked from her lead as Mr Gawrysiak was pushed away by others in the group. In an update on Saturday night, police confirmed the dog had been reunited with her owners. Ewa told they had collected Morti from RSPCA in Burwood after a passer-by found her abandoned on Huntingdale Road on Saturday afternoon. It is a huge relief for the Gawrysiak family. Ewa said her sister, who adopted Morti from the RSPCA in 2022, was 'heartbroken' to hear the news on Friday while overseas and was trying to get home to Australia. Morti is a white English staffordshire terrier cross. Ewa described her as 'oversized lapdog' and 'a giant snuggle buddy' who loves people and is 'so sympathetic to their emotions'. Victoria Police is investigating and said the Commodore had no plates and was last seen driving south on Huntingdale Road. Any witnesses or anyone with CCTV, dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at
Courier-Mail
26-04-2025
- Courier-Mail
Distressing moment dog stolen from dad on walk by group of youths
Don't miss out on the headlines from Animals. Followed categories will be added to My News. A nightmare situation has unfolded for a 72-year-old dad walking his dog in Melbourne. Five-year-old Morticia, known as 'Morti', was stolen from her owner Boguslaw Gawrysiak by a group of youths in a distressing situation in Mount Waverley. Mr Gawrysiak was walking Morti along Huntingdale Road at about 2.30am when a black Holden Commodore with five young people, who looked to be in their late teens and early 20s, approached. Mr Gawrysiak's daughter Ewa Gawrysiak told those in the car started yelling demands for Morti like 'we want the dog' and 'give us the dog'. Morticia was stolen while on a walk in the early hours of Friday. She is a five-year-old Staffy cross. '[Dad] blew it off as drunks coming home after a night out,' Ewa said, explaining her family were shift workers and it wasn't unusual for her dad to walk the dog after finishing work in the early hours of the morning. But then, she said, they came to a stop and at least one person appeared to exit the car. Mr Gawrysiak ran into a nearby convenience store on Waverley Road in Chadstone. Ewa said her dad was 'hiding' with Morti in the store when the two young women and three young men all confronted him. She said her dad tried to pull Morti back as one of the women patted her saying how 'cute' she was, but then the dog was unhooked from her lead as Mr Gawrysiak was pushed away by others in the group. Morticia was adopted by the Gawrysiak family in 2022. They say she is 'an oversized lapdog'. Ewa Gawrysiak said her sister, who adopted Morti from the RSPCA in 2022, was 'heartbroken' and was now trying to get home to Australia. Morti is a white English staffordshire terrier cross. Ewa described her as 'oversized lapdog' and 'a giant snuggle buddy' who loves people and is 'so sympathetic to their emotions'. Victoria Police is investigating and said the Commodore had no plates and was last seen driving south on Huntingdale Road. Any witnesses or anyone with CCTV, dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at Originally published as Distressing moment dog stolen from dad on walk by group of youths
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Daily Mail
It's every pet owner's worst nightmare: Cruel moment dog called Morticia is STOLEN from her 72-year-old owner by group of teens
A 72-year-old man was walking his beloved dog in Melbourne when a group of teenagers stole her right out of his hands, leaving him heartbroken. Victoria Police are still searching for Morticia, a five-year-old white English Staffordshire terrier cross who was stolen on Saturday. Officers said the pup was being walked along Huntingdale Road at about 2.30am by her owner when a group in a black Holden Commodore pulled over. The teenagers, believed to be young men and women, made demands for his dog. Ewa Gawrysiak, daughter of the owner Boguslaw, told the teenagers in the car yelled 'we want the dog' and 'give us the dog'. '[Dad] blew it off as drunks coming home after a night out,' she said, adding her family were shift workers so it wasn't unusual for her father to walk the dog at night. Mr Gawrysiak was reportedly chased by one of the youths to a nearby convenience store on Waverley Road in Chadstone. Ewa said her father hid with Morticia and tried to pull her back when one teenager patted her in the store. An altercation occurred and the offenders stole the dog, police said. Mr Gawrysiak was not injured. Police said the offenders fled the scene in the Commodore, which didn't have any numberplates, and they were last seen driving south on Huntingdale Road. Investigators released images of the dog in the hope someone knows of her whereabouts.
