A 30-year-old Mayfield man has been charged with more than a dozen offences after a van containing three dogs was allegedly stolen from a car park at Churchill Park in Launceston on Sunday afternoon.
The man was charged on Monday evening with multiple offences including three counts of evading police in aggravated circumstances, aggravated burglary, stealing and motor vehicle stealing.
He was also charged with reckless driving, common assault, damaging property, driving while disqualified and minor drug-related offences.
He was remanded to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning.
Dog owner Rosanne McDade said she had been at a dog training trial all day and was collecting certificates for her dogs when she saw her van being reversed out of its parking spot around 3:15pm.
“I ran over to it as fast as I possibly could but the fellow turned around and took off,” she told Pulse.
“Someone tried to block him. He did a wheelie around them and that’s when it all started.”
McDade said the back door of the van was still up and she could see her dogs in their crates as the vehicle sped away.
“All I could see was the fear on their face as this person backed and took off and went bumping over a median strip and things like that,” she said.
“I was terrified because I felt as if they were likely to be thrown out of the car.”
McDade, who runs Paw to Hand Dog Training, said the dogs are her life.
“I don’t have children. My husband died three years ago and these dogs are my family,” she said.
Police received multiple calls on Sunday afternoon reporting the stolen vehicle driving erratically between Invermay and George Town.
Officers attempted to intercept it on the East Tamar Highway before the driver allegedly evaded them.
Spikes were deployed at Newnham, where the driver allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled.
The man was arrested on Monday morning at Lalla after he allegedly evaded police in a second stolen vehicle.
Both vehicles have been recovered.
McDade said the dog performance community rallied immediately, with 10 to 15 people searching in the dark by around 8pm.
Social media posts showing the dogs were shared more than 900 times combined, helping members of the public spot and recover all three dogs.
“The police were amazing,” McDade said.
“The dog community was just incredible.”
Her oldest dog, who is 12, is being taken to the vet today as he was stiff and sore.
Her six-year-old dog was showing signs of anxiety.
The youngest, a pup, was found by locals in Rocherlea during daylight hours and had been playing happily in their backyard.
Anyone with information can contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au.
