A family whose pet Chihuahuas escaped are terrified the dogs have been stolen.

Workmen reported seeing a man scoop up the animals as they ran down a busy street.

Their owner Charlene Simmons, 31, was chasing them down Throwley Way in Sutton after they managed to slip out the front door.

The female dogs called Izzy and Rozie have been missing since around 8pm Wednesday night.

Ms Simmons is distraught because the pets were companions for her disabled son Liam.

She said: “My 5-year-old has Angelman syndrome, a really rare genetic disorder.

“He was quite rough towards the dogs at first, but as time has gone on they have developed a strong bond.

“Since they have been gone he has been whinging a lot and is getting more and more agitated as time goes by.”

Izzy, who is 2, is black and white, and 1-year-old Rozie is beige and white.

Ms Simmons’ 9-year-old daughter Niamh has struggled to sleep since they escaped, and has been so upset she has been taken out of lessons at school.

The Chihuahuas are worth £1,500 together, making them an attractive prospect for dog thieves.

Their owner fears because they are both girls they may also be kept for breeding.

On Wednesday night Ms Simmons was returning home from a meal at her parents house, when she ran upstairs to use the toilet.

When she came back down she opened the door to let her daughter in and the dogs made a run for it.

They ran round the back of some flats, before escaping through a hole in a fence leading to Throwley Way.

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Puppy love: Niamh with her beloved pet

The dogs were last seen shortly after 8pm just a couple of minutes away from Ms Simmons’s house on Elm Grove, Sutton.

Two workmen reported seeing somebody take the animals and walk off.

Ms Simmons does not have a description of the man.

Have you seen the Chihuahuas? Did you see somebody on Throwley Way pick them up? Call Sutton Police on 101.

To contact the newsdesk email tom.gillespie@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 020 8722 63 58.