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Social Media Aids Search for Stolen Dog

"I used to view social media as a very negative thing and this is one way social media can bring people together," Deborah Gubernick said.

Police told a family it would take a week before they'd hear from a detective about their missing dog, Chazz.

The Gubernicks knew they couldn't wait, so they took matters into their own hands by using their computers and cell phones.

Audrey Gubernick did what any 16-year old would do: she scoured social media for clues.

"If you have something new ... a new toy, a new dog ... you probably put it on your [Snapchat] story cause you're excited," Audrey Gubernick said.

There it was, on Snapchat. She asked to follow someone posting pictures of Chazz in a car, on a boy's lap and just playing around.

Her mother went old school, posting flyers and asking neighborhood kids if they'd seen the dog.

"The kids then took it upon themselves to say, 'Well, I'm going to send this in a group text,'" mother Deborah Gubernick said.

She was also armed with a neighbor's surveillance video showing a trio of teens leaning into her front yard and stealing the 6-year-old silky terrier Monday afternoon.

She posted the video on Facebook, changed her settings from private to public and added a few hashtags.

And just like that, the post went viral.

"I used to view social media as a very negative thing, and this is one way social media can bring people together," Deborah Gubernick said.

It's happening in other apps as well. The same day Chazz went missing, Nextdoor.com started a pet registry. Neighbors can now keep a virtual eye on other neighbors' pets.

Together mother and daughter linked the Snapchat handle to a real name and police moved in and recovered the dog.

But even after they were caught, the teens sent one more Instagram post which said, "Best of times...Bro."

Audrey knew if she took a screenshot of the Snapchat photo the suspect would know, so she asked a friend to take a picture of her phone.

Police plan to file a report with the district attorney.

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