Shocking footage shows moment brazen woman steals a Jack Russell terrier from driveway after it had escaped its home because it was scared by fireworks

A family has been left distraught after a brazen thief stole their three-year-old Jack Russell terrier from their driveway.

Mother-of-six Lisa Eastwell, 43, says she has been unable to console her children since the callous theft outside the family home on Saturday, November 18.

Mrs Eastwell says she and her husband had taken their children out for food after spending the afternoon seeing Father Christmas while shopping.

They placed their four dogs - two Jack Russell terriers and two Labradors - in the back garden of the home in Havering-Atte-Bower, on the border of Essex and Greater London.

The family later returned to find Lola missing and it was only when watching external CCTV footage that they learned what had happened. 

Mrs Eastwell said: 'I felt sick to my stomach, my heart just sank. I didn't say anything to the children but I thought, "we're not going to see her again."'

CCTV shows that while the family were out, Lola became frightened by fireworks and escaped from the back garden, running along the side of the house to the front drive.

There, the clip shows her darting into the road where she is spotted by passers-by - including one car which stops. A woman exits the vehicle and after coaxing Lola, scoops her in her arms and makes off with her.

Describing what happened, Mrs Eastwell said: 'We've got quite a long back garden that backs on to a farm. 

'We took the children to see father Christmas and we said on the way back, let's get some food and we put the dogs in the back garden as they'd been in the house all day.

'We'd just left to go and pick up some food and she escaped outside the side of the gate. By 7.27pm she had made it to the front driveway. 

'A man and a women were driving past and stopped their car when they saw the dog. You can the woman tried to caress Lola who runs away, before beckoning her over and then obviously they've made off.'

'She a Jack Russell and very timid dog. Jack Russells are prone to barking a lot but that's not like Lola at all, she's much more likely to try and hide.

'If she's like that with us, I have no idea how she'll be coping wherever she is.'

Among the family's other dogs is Lola's sister Daisy, who she has never been parted from since they left their litter.

'Her sister Daisy has been pining for her every night, they haven't been separated since they were born,' said Mrs Eastwell.

'We didn't notice she was gone until about 9.30pm once we were back home and we called her name a few times. My son and my oldest daughter walked up the road to see if they could see her.'

It was then that the family checked the CCTV and saw a stranger making off with the dog.

Mrs Eastwell says she is frustrated with the Met Police's handling of the dog's disappearance and have now offered a reward for information that leads to Lola's safe return.

Mrs Eastwell said: 'For the children, it has been devastating. It's very difficult for my eight-year-old twins, who have a bond with Lola.

'It's the most intrusive thing, that someone could just walk up to your garden and steal your dog.'

The Met Police has been approached for comment. 

• Do you have information for Lola's owners? Email stewart.carr@mailonline.co.uk