Grieving dog owner victim of extortion try

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A Philadelphia teenager has been charged with trying to extort hundreds of dollars by claiming to be holding a lost dog.

The 15-year-old, who has not been identified because of his age, faces charges that include felony extortion and criminal conspiracy, The Philadelphia Daily News reported. He was arrested Sunday.

Bill Whiting, who lives in Center City, told the newspaper that Edna, his beagle mix, disappeared on Halloween from a friend's home in South Philadelphia. He said the dog may have slipped through the door when it was opened for trick-or-treating youngsters.

Whiting papered the neighborhood with flyers offering $500 for Edna's return. On Nov. 10, he got a call just before midnight from what sounded like a teenager claiming to have the dog and demanding $600.

"They said they wanted the money now, and told me they'd kill the dog, repeating, 'You don't believe me, Mister -- let me hurt it so you can hear,'" Whiting said.

At 3 a.m., he got another call saying the dog had been killed.

Police used Whiting's phone records to trace the call to the 15-year-old's home. Edna is still missing.