Owner Pleas For Safe Return Of Their Dog Taken From Nearby Gas Station

CHICAGO (CBS) -- She has taken on the role of detective and even has loads of evidence, but it's still not enough as a Chicago woman begs for someone to return her stolen dog.

CBS 2's Steven Graves with the video you'll see only on 2.

This little Pomeranian is John Snow, caught on camera roaming outside a Chicago gas station at Garfield and Damen last Tuesday. He's even seen mingling with two Chicago police officers who thought nothing of this encounter, but his owner, Esmeralda Seca, was worried sick.

This is John Snow's companion," said Seca while holding her other dog. "I feel very helpless right now."

Knows he's not aimlessly roaming because video shows a woman letting him in the gas station door.

She then walks out with him, even talks to the officers before opening the door of her SUV.

"So, we saw her open the door, grab the dog, put the dog in the vehicle and drive away. So, you just stole a family member from me."

Seca says John got out without his collar when a construction crew left her home door open. The video was filmed about thirty minutes after she noticed. This gas station is basically in her backyard.

"With her picking him up, as a good Samaritan, I would think, hey, reach out, try to get help for the dog."

But nothing in the days following. Seca says the woman, a regular customer, has not returned since. She contacted police, but says officers told her they couldn't do much because the dog was not taken by force or stolen from her house.

So, she found a man connected to the woman's license plate. She says he told her he has seen the dog recently.

"And I asked for a phone number to the woman in question and the number I got was restricted, or private, or out of service."

Her worry, John has a medical condition and might be sick, or dead.

"You know we're looking for him, you know we want him back, and now you're just M.I.A on us."

She's now hoping someone will bring him back noticing the two birthmarks under his eyes, and now realizing the hole left in her life.

Another fear is that the Pomeranian might be sold. His owners say they paid close to two thousand dollars for him. There is a five hundred dollar reward for his return.