A unique pair of dogs were quietly snatched from their yard in the middle of the night this weekend.
But these dogs couldn't fight back, or even growl to alert their owners. They are a set of ceramic glazed statues, that were sitting as sentinels in the doorway of Joanna and Gordon Randall's Chilliwack home.
They've been sitting there for about 10 years, smiling away at anyone who stopped by. But sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning, they were dognapped. The Randalls are hopeful that the pair will be returned, as they have plenty of sentimental value.
One of the only clues to the mystery comes from a neighbour's security camera. Activated by a motion sensor, it caught a glimpse of a black SUV pulled up to the Randall's house, sometime around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. That information has been given to the police, along with a full description of the dogs. But the Randall's are pleading with anyone who sees the dogs to make sure they're returned to their rightful owners.
Before the statues were placed on the Randall's doorstep, they sat for 30 to 40 years at Joanna Randall's mother's house in Vancouver.
"When my mother died, I inherited them," she said. "They're impossible to replace."
She had them made, they said, so there won't be any others like them out there. They're also unique in that they are also incense burners. With incense burning in their mouths, the smoke is released out of their nostrils.
They each stand about knee-high, and are very ornate. They could catch the eye of someone thinking they have resale value. While they are made of glazed ceramic, they do have the appearance of jade.
That may have been what attracted the thief, the Randalls said. However, each piece only weighs about 35 lbs.,much less than what jade would weigh in at.
Still, they aren't something that could simply be carted away by hand. And because the Randalls live on a quiet, dead-end street, they think the theft was pre-planned.
This isn't the first theft they've had from their yard. About a year and a half ago, their collection of garden gnomes were taken in the middle of the night, too. But those were found just down the road, smashed to bits.
They hope the statues are still in one piece, and hope they are returned home soon.
Anyone with information on the statues is asked to contact the Chilliwack RCMP.