Seger Park Dog Owners Association

From The Philadelphia Inquirer Wed, Mar. 12, 2008

Boy, 15, guilty of extortion attempt
He placed a midnight call to a dog owner demanding money for returning his lost pet.

A 15-year-old boy has been convicted of making a midnight phone call to the owner of a missing dog in an attempt to extort money.

Authorities traced the call made to Bill Whiting, who had put up reward posters with his cell-phone number after his dog, Edna, disappeared in Philadelphia on Oct. 31.

About 10 days after Whiting put up posters, he received the midnight call from two boys who said they had Edna and wanted $600. Whiting said he heard the sound of dog tags and a yelping animal in the background and called police.

The teen denies making the call, which originated from his home in Kensington.

"He doesn't know anything about it," defense attorney John D'Angelo said after a hearing Monday in Family Court.

An acquaintance of the teen's testified at the hearing that "the defendant had told him . . . that he tore a poster down and made a phone call [to Whiting] and threatened to kick his dog in the head," Assistant District Attorney Heidi Grogan said.

The dog, a brown beagle mix, remains missing.

Judge Robert Rebstock found the teen delinquent - the adult equivalent of guilty - on charges of theft by extortion, conspiracy, terroristic threats and harassment/stalking.

The proceeding was closed to the public because of the defendant's age and charges. He will be sentenced March 31.

Whiting received a second call, about three hours after the first one, on his land line, which he said was only on Edna's dog tags - not the reward posters. He said a man who sounded as if he was in his 20s told him Edna was dead.

Authorities have not determined who made that call because it appeared to have come from a disposable cell phone.