A mum has recalled the terrifying moment she and her teenage daughter were allegedly attacked in broad daylight before the thieves took off in their car and beloved pet dog in the backseat.
It’s been a harrowing 24 hours for Townsville woman Trudy left batterred and bruised while fret with worry about the family’s stolen border collie Phoenix.
The mum and her daughter, 17, stopped at Subway Kelso around 4pm on Thursday to get something to eat when they were confronted by a man and woman on scooters.
Shocking footage shows the man getting into the driver’s seat of black Ford Ranger.
He then gets out to punch Trudy in the face as she tried to stop him from taking the keys
This is the terrifying moment Trudy was attaked by the alleged thief in broad daylight
The family’s border collie Phienix (pictured) was in the backseat at the time
‘I could hear the woman laughing and kicking the passenger side where my daughter was,’ she told the Townsville Bulletin.
‘Things escalated when I got out of the car.
‘He was threatening me and punched me while the woman came up from behind and hit me.
‘He got in the driver’s seat and started punching my daughter, yelling at her to get out of the car.’
Trudy and her daughter were taken to hospital.
Trudy was left badly bruised and swollen but is more concerned about the impact the incident has had
She was also frantic about whether Phoenix was safe, who was still missing 24 hours later.
‘Who steals someone’s dog and car like that? It’s just pure evil,’ she said
Phoenix is now back with her owners after police found her at an address on Friday afternoon
Trudy and her relieved family were reunited with Phoenix on Friday night.
Following extensive inquiries, Queensland Police located Phoenix safe at a Kelso along with the allegedly stolen black Ford Ranger.
A photo shared by Queensland Police shows the happy dog hamming it up and posing for the camera with officers.
‘Police and the family would like to thank the community for their assistance, which greatly helped officers locate Phoenix,’ a statement said.
Police later located and arrested a 28-year-old Oonoonba woman and a 29-year-old Rasmussen man in Rasmusse
‘A man and woman remain in police custody and are expected to be charged with multiple offences,’ a police statement read
‘Investigations are continuing.’
Trudy (pictured) was left battered and bruised after the harrowing ordeal