Police in Jeddah are trying to locate a man who is accused of stealing a dog from its female owner and demanding a “ransom” of 20,000 riyals for its return. The Saudi owner of Billy the German Shepherd dog said she was in the Durrat Al-Arous resort complex in the north of Jeddah one month ago when she lost her companion, but after launching a search appeal on Facebook she was contacted by a man claiming he had bought Billy in good faith at an animal market but would return the dog for the sum of 20,000 riyals. “I bought Billy in Egypt three years ago and she's been by my side ever since, helping me out in all manner of situations,” she said. “She was trained at a police academy in Cairo.”
