Elmont woman is reunited with her dog after five teens demand $500 for its return

Five teenage boys were arrested by Nassau police for demanding $500 to return an Elmont woman's dog on May 29.

A 34-year-old Elmont woman reported her Pekingese dog stolen Wednesday after she noticed it had gone missing. Police said she informed them that after she noticed her dog had gone missing, she received a text on her phone with a picture of five teenage boys, who she did not know, holding her dog with "$500" written under the picture. She said she received the text from an unknown number.

One of the boys said they had her dog near 181 Gotham Ave. and demanded $500 to return him to her.

Police found the teens with the dog in a parking lot at 181 Gotham Ave. The five teens were arrested without further incident and the dog was returned to the woman unharmed.

Police determined that the teens found the dog and used its collar's information to contact the owner. They were charged with grand larceny and are due in Nassau County Family Court on June 13.