ON HIS TAIL: Dietz was directed to a tree on which was pinned a note leading him to the pup.
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A purloined pooch was reunited with his owner yesterday in a cloak-and-dogger operation that played out like a Cold War spy tale.
“It’s possible for miracles to happen!” exclaimed pet-shop owner David Dietz after retrieving the 7-week-old puppy from a diner in Marine Park, Brooklyn.
The $1,400 purebred Yorkie, who needs special food and vitamins, was swiped from the store by two teenagers on Feb. 16.
His whereabouts remained unknown even after cops picked up two 15-year-olds and charged them with grand larceny.
Then, on Wednesday, Dietz’s partner, Merri Weinstein, took a phone call from an anonymous woman who said she wanted to give the dog back.
The mystery woman said a second call would be made to the store at about noon the next day — and an anxious Dietz was waiting by the phone when it rang at 12:10 p.m.
“I don’t want any trouble. If you want the dog back, go to [East] 87th and Farragut Road, there’s a note on the tree,” the caller said.
Dietz demanded, “Who is this?”
And the caller hung up.
Dietz jumped into his SUV and sped to the intersection, playing a self-help tape along the way to calm his nerves.
After a brief search, he spotted a note tacked on a tree, folded his hands and bowed his head in prayer.
“This has got to happen. This has got to happen,” he muttered as he began reading it.
“Sorry I don’t want any trouble. I am given dog back,” it read. “Maybe for reward. Dog is at Flatbush Ave. triangle by new Walgreens store. Got this dog from boy. Don’t want any trouble so I put dog in box at food store.”
Dietz jumped back in the car and put pedal to metal, topping 50 mph as he sped off.
“I feel like I’m on a search for my 6-year-old son who has been kidnapped,” Dietz said.
“I can’t believe that my life has become like a novel.”
He parked and spotted Floridian Diner owner Steve Zaharakis, who was doing some work outside.
Dietz asked if he’d seen anyone with a box.
Zaharakis led him inside, where Dietz found the panic-stricken pup thrashing about — and pooping — in the box before Dietz picked him up and calmed him down.
Cashier Mary Calamonice said a woman in her 20s had left the dog on top of an arcade game in the lobby 10 minutes before Dietz showed up at about 1:50 p.m.
“I knew something was suspicious. She took off walking fast on Flatbush Avenue,” Calamonice said.
“It was a nice ending,” said Zaharakis, who had heard about the missing mutt in news reports.
A visibly relieved Dietz noted that the puppy looked fat, “so apparently he was fed.
“Whoever took him apparently did a good job.”
Dietz — who said he would consider a reward if he could find the caller — was relieved there was a happy ending.
“Someone did the right thing,” he said.