Couple charged in theft of Shih Tzu in December, SPCA says

An intensive investigation and video surveillance evidence led to a couple from Massapequa Park being charged in a December 2019 theft of a dog in Ronkonkoma, Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross said Tuesday.

The dog, an 11-year-old Shih Tzu named Bella, went missing from a yard Dec. 18 and an initial anonymous tip claiming she'd been grabbed by a passing jogger proved unfounded. Investigators later determined what had happened to Bella, who was microchipped and wearing ID tags, and managed to get her back to her owners a week later at Christmas.

Since then, Gross said, SPCA investigators continued to pursue the case against the alleged perpetrators and were finally able to charge them last week.

The SPCA said James M. Zweidinger, 37, and his girlfriend, Crystal J. Fass, 35, both of Pittsburgh Avenue in Massapequa Park, are due in First District Court in Central Islip on Sept. 24 for arraignment on larceny charges.

Gross said the tags worn by Bella included her family's phone number.

The SPCA had offered a $2,000 reward for her return and a caller told them a jogger had "picked up Bella" — which investigators later determined was untrue. The subsequent investigation determined the location of the dog and Gross said investigators were able to facilitate Bella's return to her family.

Though he declined to provide additional details of the investigation, Gross said the Suffolk "SPCA continued to build a case leaving no stone unturned" until it was finally able to last week charge Zweidinger and Fass with the theft.

It was not immediately clear if the couple were represented by counsel.