This is the moment a hooded woman was caught on a doorbell camera leaving a family home with their dog after a suspected burglary.
Father-of-two Christopher De Freitas, 44, was on holiday in Cornwall with his children when a friend who was babysitting called to say seven-year-old Zidane had disappeared.
Footage from his Ring doorbell shows a woman repeatedly visiting the property before Zidane walks past the camera, followed moments later by the woman as she pulls up her hood.
Christopher says she knocked on the house four times within half an hour before returning about 40 minutes later and leaving with the Beauceroodle – a cross between Beauceron and Poodle.
He says a neighbour’s gate was damaged and his double-glazed doors broken open, while a dog leash and food were also taken.
The TfL The employee said he started receiving Ring notifications while sitting on the beach with his children when he realized what was happening hundreds of miles away.
Christopher, from Colchester, Essex, said: “I thought, what on earth is this?
‘Someone left the house with my dog.
A family’s dog, Zidane, disappeared from their home in Essex while his owner, Christopher De Freitas, was on holiday in Cornwall with his children
Footage from the Ring Doorbell allegedly shows a hooded woman repeatedly visiting the house before leaving with the dog
‘I was on the beach with my children at the time and they could hear what was going on.
‘I went into total shock. I quickly tried to call the police.”
He added: ‘The woman came to the house twice, knocked on the door and looked at the Ring doorbell.
‘Then you can just see the back gate open, because the doorbell is attached to the back gate.
“I see my dog walking by and I see her walking by – she was trying to cover her face by putting her hoodie on.”
Zidane disappeared from his family home on August 18 and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Essex Police said a 49-year-old woman was arrested and interviewed in connection with the incident before being released on bail until October 2.
Thousands of people have shared a plea for Zidane on social media as his family desperately tries to bring him home.
Christopher said his two children are devastated by his disappearance.
He said: ‘They are still crying and asking about the dog. I feel like I can’t help them.’
Christopher described the family pet: “We’ve had him since he was a puppy.
‘He’s great with families and other dogs, and he’s very intelligent.
‘He even showers with you, if you leave the shower on, he will jump in.
“He’s a beautiful dog.”
A spokesperson for Essex Police said: ‘A 49-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with a burglary at an address in Colchester.
“It was reported that a dog was taken on the morning of August 18th.
‘A woman was arrested today (August 24) on suspicion of burglary and has since been released on bail until October 2.
‘If you have any information, CCTV footage, dashcam or other footage relating to this incident, please contact us.
