Alameda police said a Stockton woman saw an image of the 6-year-old Yorkshire terrier on the news Wednesday and recognized it as the canine she had purchased from a man and a woman for $20, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.
The woman took the dog, Deuce, to police, who verified the animal's identity and returned him to owner Helen Bignone.
Investigators said the man and woman who sold the dog did not appear to know it was stolen during an Oct. 30 robbery perpetrated by two male suspects.
Christopher Perkins, 19, a suspect in the case, told police he released the dog in a public park Nov. 2.
Investigators said they have identified a "person of interest" who may be the second suspect in the case. They said the man is currently being sought on an unrelated parole violation.
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