Police in Switzerland announced on Saturday that two men had been arrested in connection with the theft and ransom of two dogs. The owner, a 59-year-old Swiss man, discovered that his two Bolonka dogs had been taken from his apartment in Zurich’s Schlieren neighborhood on Feb. 24. The thieves left a ransom letter demanding 1 million Swiss francs, equivalent to about $1,135,271, for the return of the dogs. The Bolonka dogs are described by the American Kennel Club as a friendly and affectionate toy breed, belonging to the Bichon family and bred as house pets. The average cost to purchase a Bolonka puppy ranges from $1,500 to $3,000. The owner, whose identity has not been disclosed, alerted the authorities, leading to an investigation. A 30-year-old Norwegian man was apprehended at Zurich Airport on Thursday as he was attempting to leave the country and is currently in custody in Switzerland. Further inquiries led the police to Poland, where a 38-year-old Polish man was believed to be connected to the theft. The Polish man was arrested on March 5, and the two stolen dogs were found in his possession. The owner was reunited with his dogs in Poland on Friday.
