Photo: RCMP

RCMP are on the lookout for two men who stole a pitbull puppy after assaulting the owner.

Surrey RCMP is appealing to the public for assistance following the robbery of a pit bull after the victim posted an ad for the puppy online.

Police are also reminding the public to take precaution when buying or selling items online.

On Sept. 28 at 3 p.m., police were contacted after an eight-week old pit bull named “Tank” was been stolen from its owner. 

The owner, who had advertised the puppy for sale online, was contacted by a potential buyer and a meeting was arranged at Fleetwood Park near 80th Avenue and 160th Street.

“At the meeting, two male suspects met the victim and one grabbed the puppy and ran off. The second male grabbed the victim’s cell phone and punched her in the face. The pair was seen leaving in a car that was possibly a brown Toyota Tercel,” said Cpl. Scotty Schumann.

The suspects are described as both being South Asian males in their 20s. 

One suspect was wearing a black hoodie with “Crooks” and a picture of Monopoly’s “Rich Uncle Pennybags” on it. The second male was wearing a blue sweatshirt and pullover red hoody.

Tank is described as a black pit bull with white accents on his chest, feet, and chin. He has a very distinctive small white line that runs over his nose. 

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this style of robbery utilizing online classifieds,” said Schumann. “Police recommend being extremely careful when buying or selling merchandise online and meeting up with unknown persons. To reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim to a personal robbery, have a friend go with you and meet in a very public place.”

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502. 

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca.