Richmond woman reunites with her dog stolen from inside her car

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — After an emotional 48 hours for Richmond resident Hailey Battilana, she is happy to be reunited with her car and dog after they were both stolen.

Hailey Battilana told 8News her 14-year-old dog Jellybean is her partner in crime.

“She’s a lovable dog. She always has been. She’s always been my sidekick. She’s more or less like an emotional support animal for me,” Battilana said about her dog Jellybean.

On Tuesday, March 26 at around 7:30 p.m., Battilana and Jellybean stopped at the Wawa on Midlothian Turnpike and Boulders Parkway. When Battilana arrived, she left her keys, purse and Jellybean in the car and headed inside the store. As soon as she made her way back outside, she realized a man was driving away with her 2001 Nissan Sentra and her beloved companion.

Her quest for answers started immediately and support from the community poured.

In the evening of Wednesday, March 27, Battilana received a call from police notifying her that her car was found at around 8 p.m. in Richmond off Old Brook Road and Watkins Street. However, Jellybean was no where to be found.

In the morning of Thursday, March 28, Battilana received her car back, but the search for Jellybean was still on.

“Where did they put my dog out? What did they do? That’s what I need to know. I can fix this a little bit at a time. But I need to know where Jelly is,” Battilana said.

At around 3 p.m. Thursday, Battilana received the call she had been hoping for, with police letting her know that her sidekick was found near the Wawa where she was last seen. Within the hour, the two were reunited and are enjoying each other’s company once again.

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