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Subscribe to RSSA couple in Pennsylvania is facing criminal charges for selling their neighbor’s lost puppy on Craigslist instead of returning it, according to police.
Police in Leechburg, Pa., said two dogs, a Rottweiler and a golden retriever mix, wandered onto the property of Scott Duff, 41, and Roxanne Duff, 38, on September 3.
After discovering the animals, police say, Roxanne Duff left a phone message for police saying she was unsure what to do with them.
Leechburg Police Officer Christopher Laird returned Roxanne Duff’s message, recommending that she contact either an animal shelter or a local dog kennel, according to a police report. He told her he would contact her if they find dogs’ owner. During that call, Roxanne Duff allegedly told Laird that the Rottweiler puppy had run away since her initial report.
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Later in the evening, Laird received a call from the dogs’ owner, Shawn Lerch, who said Duff had returned his golden retriever but not the Rottweiler. Lerch said he believed his dog was still in the area and suspected the Duffs were keeping him, despite what he had been told.
When Laird knocked on his neighbor's door, Scott Duff answered and allegedly denied having the puppy. The next day, Lerch called police again, saying he believed the dog was still at the Duffs' house, according to the report.
This time, police chief Michael Diebold went to the Duffs' home, where he found the couple's five-year-old son and his babysitter. According to the police report, the child said, “his mommy had given the dog to a woman from the Internet."
Diebold contacted Scott Duff again and told him what his child had said. Duff told him he had no knowledge of this and said he only knew that the puppy had escaped from his yard. A short time later, Duff called police back and allegedly admitted that his wife had placed an ad and sold the dog on Craigslist for $50.
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After police located the woman who bought the Rottweiler, who said she was unaware of the theft. Roxanne Duff went to Pittsburgh, where the woman lived, to retrieve the dog, and it was returned to Lerch.
Police charged the Duffs last week with not making a reasonable effort to return lost property, two counts of conspiracy and false reporting.
The couple is due in court for a preliminary hearing on October 31.
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RE:The poster that said "It looks like the neighbor had it coming". Which one? The dog owner or the neighbor who essentially stole the dogs, that is if he knew who the dogs belonged to in the first place.
My story! I adopted a rescue dog 7 months ago. My neighbor also adopted a rescue dog some years before. His dog is a pit bull who is apparently aggressive and unpredictable. She barks incessantly when she is left alone. She scratches to get out. Her nails have ruined the wood plank floors in the house. When he met my dog, he demonstrated some envy as my dog is pretty will behaved for a puppy. My dog does not bark, as he came from a neighborhood where there was much people & car & pet traffic so he became habituated to it.
We have a fenced yard, in that there's deer fencing over split rail around the entire perimeter of the back of the property, approximately 1/2 acre. My dog, being a terrier, a natural digger and wanderer, managed to get onto his property by digging under the fence. The 1st time he disappeared, I went walking up and down the village calling his name. I did not hear the jingle of his tags on his collar. I panicked as I thought he walked over the bridge to the other side of the river. When I went back to the house to get his leash, I saw my dog playing nicely with the neighbors dog. I thought, this neighbor would definitely heard me calling him, even from inside his house as he had his windows open. I let that go.
Then said neighbor, "Your dog damaged my screen door, do you think your husband could come over and fix it? I replied: my dog has not destroyed any screen doors in our house. Neighbor replied: "Are you calling me a liar?" I said "Yes". This neighbor has a history of trying to get other people to do his property maintenance for him. An argument ensued.
That evening, (as we had purchased one of those "magnetic screen doors" so he could go in & out to do his business, we replaced the magnetic screen door with the old sliding screen door. My dog escaped in the process and ran directly to the neighbors property thru his prior escape route. I didn't know this so there I go again up and down the street calling his name. No jingle, no response. I came back to the house and said to myself : "Self, just go check if he' there in the neighbors house." Well thru the living room window, I see the 2 dogs playing inside his living room. I received no phone call informing me the dog was over there, as said neighbor had all of our phone #'s. I called the police. The police came and spoke with the neighbor in private after he told me to take my dog home. After speaking to the neighbor, the officer came back and informed me he had told the neighbor to phone us the next time it happened.
Well, it happened again. I saw my dog with the neighbor on his patio. I called my dog numerous times but he did not respond. He had his paws up on the chair in which the neighbor was sitting in. I saw that the neighbor had ripped down the fence behind our stone fence, allowing my dog access to his yard. He was apparently feeding my dog. My dog had never ignored my calling for him in the past, if he could hear me. So I knew he was feeding him, as he paid no attention to me. I ripped down his overgrowing bamboo which had grown through the neighbors fence on the other side of our fence and I saw that's how he was getting thorough. Said neighbor took pictures of my doing this while with his iphone. I flipped him the bird. I went around to the neighbors gate, knocked, and said "Give me my dog back". He replied " So you want me to call you when he gets over here?" I said"Just don't let him in your house".Neighbor said" But I leave my doors open all of the time." I replied" Just maintain your property and we won't have any further problem." He kept saying "Well then build another fence". I replied over and over "Just maintain your property and we won't have a problem."
I've been in my house 17 years to his 5. We've planted trees all along the property line, in addition to the fencing. The deer managed to eat the lower part of the trees exposing both properties fencing. From the first month of his having moved into the property next door, he has been nagging us to put up a privacy fence. We felt we'd spent enough money attempting to privatize the 2 properties. He was not even willing to split have the cost of privacy fencing.
Long story short -LOL! We had to go out and spend $2,500.00 to purchase privacy fencing, install it ourselves, just to keep this situation from happening again, as we felt he indeed was attempting to steal our dog as it is a pure bred terrier. Very cute, very playful puppy.
So now we have installed privacy fencing, deer fencing, stakes, electric fencing with collar when we just want to let him out unattended for a run.
All of this $ was intended for other home improvements.
Last year, a tree from his property fell down in a storm onto our fence. We helped him (really did all the work) remove it and cut up the tree. This took all summer. Again preventing us from doing other much needed work on our driveway.
All in all, this is the first "bad" neighbor we've had in all the years here. There's no accounting for a "user", evil mentality. Just have to make ready for them.
Whew.
As I read it, was waiting for the part where his pitbull ate your dog :(. Thank god for small favors.
#57 below...When I moved into that house, the fences needed upgraded. I knew my dogs could get out. Right, left and behind....all three neighbors declined to go half. I did it all complete with concrete footing to prevent digging.
I got a new neighbor on the right who had 3 pitbulls. Three times we had to repair it...Chato 'ate' through the fence to play with my dogs.
The silver lining is the same, sometimes even pitbulls make better neighbors than people. And you sound like a GREAT neighbor.
Do you have a freakin job? If you dont, you could have used all that energy writing that ridiculously long book comment into writing out job applications.Of course 98% of people wont read it.Get a life or a job dingbat
TL;DR
PIRATE:
Some just can't resist hateful posts when they have nothing to say. Some of us have done our time and retired. What is your excuse for being hateful?????? Need a job AND a life.
BTW. I monitor my investments....have made $4,608.52 today. How bout you, HATER?
I also told Michelle Luceti (the cat/kitten thief) that what she should have done because she KNEW the cat belonged to me was to either hold it and call me to let me know that she had it; or to take it back to my nephew, or to the animal control and let them know. First and foremost, she was my neighbor and knew the cat belonged to me and never called and then lied to my face. I will never forget this. I will also forever be upset that the police did nothing more than call her and I couldn't even file some kind of a complaint (I mean isn't that theft - taking someone elses property whether it is an inanimate object, a child or even a pet?) I would think so but I guess in Placer County it is not. I have no qualms about stating her name, address, etc. because anyone in that area needs to be very careful with their animals and it is documented that she did what she did and the police believe me and not her and insisted she bring them back. I am within my rights to vent accordingly in a public forum since nothing was done for my rights as a pet owner (no formal complaint process). I was withheld my cat (and her kittens) for over a month, not allowed to be with my cat when she birthed them and constantly lied too and told the orange kitten died when it clearly did not.
Once upon a time, 13 years ago, the meter reader left the backyard gate open and my puppy (Australian shephard in a corghi body) got out. Only time ANY dog I've ever owned has been off my property without a leash.
He got into the San Diego canyons. I took 3 days of vacation and spent every daylight hour looking for him. After the first day, I was expecting to find fur and collar with tags, if anything. (coyotes)
I was coming out of the brush on the third day about a mile from the house, where a guard at the FBI building reported seeing him (Posters and Flyers everywhere) and was walking home, when my wife came driving up with Dudley hanging out the passenger window. After 3 days he went home.
46yo retired military....don't make a habit of cryin' in public...but I was a blubbering idiotright there on the sidewalk.
For all who assume irresponsible dog owners.....kiss my a**. As far as what the people who did this deserve.....I'm in no space to say.
I put my puppy Dudley to sleep on Monday. Don't mind sayin' typing this through tears.
I sure do wish people would remember their humanity when posting on the boards. The back and forth on issues is one thing.
Being hateful sucks.
Sorry for your loss, Tom. I know the feeling well.
There are a couple dogs in our neighborhood I'd like to sell. They bark all the time and the owners don't seem to care. Dog owners are in their own little world.
greatmind,you don't happen to live in Philadelphia do you? Because I have the same problem with a neighbor across the street from me. They have two dogs,a bulldog and a little black one that looks like an overgrown rat. They leave the dogs on their front patio morning,noon and night,rain,sleet and snow and the little black one barks incessantly at everyone and everything. It's not bad in the winter when all the windows are closed.But I only have air conditioning in my bedroom so during the summer my living room windows are always open and that constant barking drives me nuts. When I complained to them the wife told me there was nothing they could do. I suggested she and her husband acquaint themselves with a leash and try walking the dogs and give their neighbors a break. Of course that comment went nowhere. I'm an animal lover,I have a beautiful black cat named Houdini who is spoiled rotten. He's a house cat,never goes out unless it's to the vet. There are pet owners who treat their animals like family and there are pet owners who are totally irresponsible like my neighbors across the street. Sell their little black barkaholic dog ? Hell,I'd give him away if I could find someone to take him!
You all need to take the next step. You talked to the owners. Now it is time for Animal Control. Wasn't Philedelphia one of the places the filmed 'ANIMAL COPS'?
If it bothers you, it bothers others....but nothing will get done if you do nothing. Look at it as not being fair to the dogs. Would you call if you saw them kicking the dog? Same, same.
If pet owner neighbors aren't responsible....make them be. Takes time but it works.
Wow, such great detective work!!! Maybe they will charge them with a hate crime, such as the omish with the beard cuttings.
Has this world went crazy???????? none of the shet is news worth! When american is 16 trillion in debt...
Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
It's another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto... In the ghetto~
Dogs should not be allowed to roam - the Lerchs were careless of their pets' welfare. I'm not sure they should have a dog.
The Duffs were dishonest - except for the little boy. I hope he didn't get into trouble for telling what happened.
I don't want to live in their neighborhood.
True. But sometimes pets get out of the yard on accident. I don't believe this story tells us whether the dogs were roaming or escaped their owner's yard.
Ewww, JAMIE, makes my skin crawl.......but you are right....People who would steal a dog would probly punish a kid for talking.
I know that teaching kids not to tell the truth to 'outsiders' is a symptom of many domestic situations that are harmful to children.
This is only one of the reasons you don't buy animals off Craig's List. And for the neighbor who sold the puppy, I think I'd put a very large collection of dog waste onto her front yard.
It's actually a craigslist policy to not sell animals on the website. They must have falsified their post somehow.
Chances are there was plenty of dog waste in her yard already, since these losers are not interested in keeping their dogs at home where they belong.
This is the kind of 'can do' attitiude our president needs...
Roxanne Duff turned a lost puppy into $50 bucks, brilliant. Could you imagine what this woman could do for our economy if give the resources?
Obamma, dummy up. Duff Economic Recovery will work.
Amanda-2017567..
Do you have a freakin job? If you dont, you could have used all that energy writing that ridiculously long book comment into writing out job applications.Of course 98% of people wont read it.Get a life or a job dingbat
Software pirate -
Or you could just skip the book and forego the nasty insults, as you cut and paste.
NO joke, MPA;
How miserable must people be to post like that.
Her mistake was calling the police. Keep your damn dogs to home. Vicious breeds to boot. My neighbors had a shi tsu who was a neglected, sick, infected, overweight, tangled mess. She roamed the streets. Recently she found a nice home with a good family in a town about 25 miles from here. I wasn't the one who facilitated it, but I was glad it happened.
Sounds like a situation in which the action was the best thing for the dog and neighbors alike. I totally agree that people who allow their animals to bother neighbors should not have them.
And, let me guess....dog wasn't sold for profit, was it?
No, she was given away to a nice home.
Wow!!! A small town on a $50 dog sold illegally by neighbor. It get's major media news?
i blame bush lol
This would make a good movie. ! "The Craiglist Stealer"
well first the husband admited what his wife did . so he should not get a charge they got the dog back as long as the purchaser got a refund of thier $ thier should be no charge whatsoever. even though the wife refused to return the animal "property" they did get it back . yes even though the definition of theft is failing to return a piece of property or $ after the person whom had it taken or missplaced it or whatever asked for it's return and was denied it's return without charge $
So if this sorry excuse for a human being embezzeled money from her employer, as long as the money was returned, there should be no charges? How about if she stole a car, had it recovered - no harm, no foul?
Crime is crime, rob roy. I am not advocating for locking her away, but a serious fine and, perhaps, some high-priced attorney fees (are there any other kind) might make her think before she decides to do the same with someone else's resources.
Duff equals ignorant trash with no moral value worth mentioning. Is it possible to come up with a description low and small enough to describe how scummy and sickening they are? Disgraces to all the rest of us who call ourselves human. My dog has more compassion, when I fell down my stairs and could not get up the dog stayed right there with me, took my wife and neighbor to get her away for the paramedics.
ROB ROY, LOL.....
Sure am glad YOU don't write or enforce the law...
Sounds like your neighbors should keep a good eye on YOU.
What you're saying....as long as the property gets back to the owner everything is cool?
I hope somebody steals your car tonite and you get it back......stripped. :) Think about it.
I'm saying to bad it was a neighbor if an owner can't keep better watch over the two dogs. It could have been anyone driving in and out of town. I was watching my dog in the front yard sitting on the front porch and a car didn't see me while they stopped at the sign at my corner and open the door calling him over. I yelled out you have a problem and they shut the car door and drove off. It can happen in an instant if your not watching your animals. My dog was a beautiful buckskin rotti mix. He died some time ago after my wife passed away.
You are ever so lucky it was not any of my pets.
Try selling your wife and leave peoples pets alone!
Sounds like Obama's plan: Rob from the rich and sell to the poor ---
J Matthew wants to make a political statement. LOL
WAIT and see what happens if and when the 25 million dollar a year president gets elected ,who does not care about 47 percent of the voters, because according to him they do not pay taxes? Senior Citizens, disabled veterans, veterans returning from WAR. Veterans survivors who lost their aparent,surviving spouses of a veteran killed in action. ALL THESE PEOPLE DO NOT MATTER UNDER MITT ROMNEY,HE ONLY HAS MONEY TO GIVE TO PAKISTAN, money to bomb IRAN AND CREATE AN OIL CRISIS.Money for our safety and defense against China,or Russia.NO MONEY for Students in College. . No Money for Medicare,but plenty of Money for Israel , for MORE WARS to become the MASTURBATORS OF THE PLANET.In a few years, we can behave worse than IRAN, and prove beyond any reasonable doubt that we, as a Nation of free people, can be ANIMALS ,who have their Own Interests FIRST. DRILL BABY DRILL.LETS TURN OUR PLANET INTO ONE HUGE SEWER
I was showing some of the 'ignorant posts' to my wife just now...she mentioned something I forgot about.
Last year, we were given our AFENPINCHER by a friend. 7 months before that, our friend volunteered to watch Cooper while owners went on vacation. They never came back. They moved. She tried everything to get in touch. Cooper is micro-chipped, but even that didn't pan out. She felt bad that Cooper was home alone all day, so we took him.
He had no shots, license, etc. Took him to vet, got shots and license. The vet verified Cooper is microchipped.
I never gave it a second thought till just now.
1. What if the original owner shows up and wants Cooper back? Under the law, I would imagine, he is still theirs.
2. Does anyone know if the micro-chip can be reprogrammed to OUR information in case he gets loose? He has a license and address tag. I doubt it will ever be an issue, but just in case.....
Anyone?
Just guessing, Tom, but I would think your vet would remove the chip, relace if you wished. You might want to look into abandoned property laws in your area. I would think you probably have ownership under those.
Thanx MPA,
We definitely will be looking into it further. This was a wakeup call for me. I would feel like having to give up my kid if it happened.
It's hard for me to think of dogs as property. Under the law, but not in my heart.
There seems to be a lot of odd behavior coming out of states like Florida (where i live), West Virginia, and Pennsylvania lately. Aren't these all swings states? The countries fate is resting on the crazies in these states?
The Duffs are scum bags. I wonder what else has been sold on craigs list from the neighborhood? I hope these people never have children, there are enough criminals in this world.
The dog obviously was a kind and gentle creature to put up with these human creatures. It should have just put its teeth into these two vermin and leap out of a window. I hope the law places both of them in a kennel . I fault you for calling them NEIGHBORS. They are just scum that lived nearby for a crime of opportunity.
Agreed put them in a kennal - called JAIL! that and the fact that CPS should be called, Unless the dog was brought up in a loving enviroment, I love rotties,BTW, Small children should not be left alone , and this circumstance, what with the dog being STOLEN, as in they sold the dog, probobly trumatized the dog so I would not put my child alone with it as the dog is probobly stressed. Shame on these people - I Personally would not alllow these people ANY pets.
Skypilot