A Former Marine Uses His Smarts To Find Woman’s Stolen Dog Held For Money

Nobody wants to see their loved pet lost, especially if it is known to be taken by someone with ill intentions. This is a story about a dognapping. A small, cute Yorkshire terrier was grabbed right from the front of his house.

A man with a big heart, Rick Machamer is a decorated marine soldier who helped track down members of al-Qaeda in Iraq. He played a crucial part in tracking down the famous terrorist organization on the ground.

Avery, a small but mighty Yorkshire Terrier, was stolen from the front doorstep of a Maryland home of one Raquel Witherspoon. Raquel, who had only recently adopted Avery, was devastated when she discovered that her beloved pet had been stolen. 

The saddest part of the story we’ve not even heard yet. Avery was not just your normal pet that you keep around the house and make your best friend. She is so much more than that, as she is special to someone in a different way.

She was the dog of Witherspoon’s 12-year-old daughter, Semaj. Semaj really needed her dog to soothe her emotional needs, but she was instead left alone with a very harsh image and message.

In the image Raquel received, the dog was sitting in a small cage, looking frightened. She knew she needed to do whatever was necessary to get the dog back, no matter the cost.

As our expert in finding terrorists, the ex-marine Machamer was watching the news; he saw something that moved him to his core. He would have never expected to feel this way in his post-military life, but as he saw this, he felt ready for action.

Machamer, the owner of a Norwegian elkhound and a Pomeranian, was deeply worried about the idea of his beloved pets being stolen. He, therefore, reached out to the family to express his worries and seek to support them in finding their furry companion.

When Witherspoon reached out for help locating her missing dog, Avery, Machamer quickly offered assistance. Recognizing the emotional distress that the loss of a beloved pet can have, he was eager to use his professional skills and resources to assist in the search for Avery. 

Machamer, the owner of a corporate intelligence company that specializes in conducting opposition research for political campaigns, initially utilized the resources that he had to track down the phone number of the individual who had taken the little Yorkie. 

He was presented in the media as what he really was, a very tough guy that has been on missions to hunt down the most dangerous and notorious of criminals. He had been in the tracking game more than anybody else available to help rescue Avery.

To go further into detail–what he was best at was gathering information and using it in order to find something or someone. He had experience using techniques that most trained people do not even know exist.

One of the first steps he took was to run the suspect’s phone number through an online database to uncover any relevant information. Additionally, he employed specialized software to extract geolocation data from the video footage of Avery in her cage, but unfortunately, these efforts did not yield any valuable leads.

No success at any of the salons either, so Machamer decided to take a different approach. Instagram is a place where almost everybody can be found, so maybe it could be the place where the mysterious red-haired person would be discovered.

Finally! There was a concrete link between the camera footage of the people stealing the dog and an actual person. Most people would say that the evidence was crystal clear, but was this enough to take down this dognapper?

A lucky break came in the form of a helpful anonymous tip. Witherspoon received a tip that the evidence that the ex-marine had uncovered regarding the address of the suspected thief was, in fact, correct.

The sad truth is that most stolen dogs are never recovered, even with police intervention. But with Machamer’s rare expertise in tracking, Avery became the exception to the rule. All of the evidence gathered thus far was finally enough to get in touch with the authorities, asking them to step in and fetch the pup.

The heartbreaking separation was finally over! Avery the Yorkie was on her way home back into the loving arms of Witherspoon and her daughter Semaj. Avery would soon be back to doing what she does best–being the best little emotional support dog she can be!

Strangely enough, it was a 16-year-old girl who was held responsible for Avery’s dognapping. She was formally charged with theft for stealing Witherspoon’s beloved dog as well as subsequently attempting extortion for the pet’s return.

Dognapping has been on the rise in recent years across the US. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as reselling the dog, holding it for ransom, or using the dog for breeding. Dognapping can be a traumatic experience for both the dog and the owner, and pet owners have taken precautions lately to protect their furry friends.