An 8-year-old girl has been reunited with the puppy she got for Christmas after surveillance video caught it being taken from the front yard of her southwest Miami-Dade home.
NBC 6's Arlene Borenstein was able to bring Natalie Gonzalez and her beloved dog back together Tuesday morning after an unidentified man presented an item to the reporter and her crew - and that item near the feet of Borenstein's cameraman turned out to be Gonzalez's puppy, Mateo.
"I'm very happy," Natalie said through tears of joy after her mother woke her up with the welcomed sight.
A woman is seen on surveillance footage at around 8 a.m. Monday outside the gate of the home near SW 109th Court and Bird Road. The puppy hopped through the railing and the woman took off with Mateo.
"She was calling over and Mateo was wiggling his tail to say no, and then she didn't stop trying to convince him," Natalie said.
Her family believes the person who stole Mateo left in the white Mitsubishi SUV. They spent the entire day searching for their beloved Yorkie and filed a police report.
"I didn't like him lost, I like him returned," Natalie said.
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Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers.
