Michigan breeders reunited with puppies they say were stolen at gunpoint outside 12 Oaks Mall

(FOX 2) - Some Michigan dog breeders have been reunited with two puppies after they say the dogs were stolen at gunpoint. 

Frank and Dezarae, who didn't wish to use their last names, say they were held at gunpoint at 12 Oaks Mall in Novi Friday after someone asked to meet them there to buy two English Bulldog puppies.

The Lansing breeders went to the mall, thinking they were meeting a man who wanted to buy the puppies for his teenagers. But they say, instead, a young man pulled a gun while another young man and woman ran off with the dogs. The couple then spent the weekend frantically searching and raising awareness. 

"We were never going to give up, we always kept hope and we knew we were going to get them back," Frank said. 

"They're like children. You have to have patience. Is a thief going to have patience? Ae they hitting them? Are they feeding them? I don't know what these puppies are going through right now," Dezarae told us Sunday morning. 

And then, just hours later, the breeders say they got an anonymous call from a man claiming to be an attorney. He told the couple he was going to pick up the dogs and meet them at a Detroit police station. 

Now the dogs are back sleeping in their owners' arms. 

The dog breeders, whose business is called Hooligan Bullies, are taking some time to decide if they'll sell the dogs, that are worth $11,000. Meanwhile, they say they'll always meet potential customers outside police stations from now on. 

They were also working on raising reward money and are going to talk to the donors about where they want those funds to go.