ST. LOUIS • A service dog that was stolen from a woman on a parking lot at a St. Louis Walgreens last week is now back at home, St. Louis police said.

A woman who bought the dog realized the dog was the one highlighted in news story about the theft, and reunited the dog with its owner on Monday night.

The victim, 29, was returning to her vehicle about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday at the lot at 4218 Lindell Boulevard. Two women got out of a van and one asked to borrow the victim's cellphone. When she refused, one of the women opened her vehicle's door and attempted to take the phone. A struggle ensued and one of the robbers bit and punched the woman.

During the struggle the second suspect opened the passenger side door of the vehicle and took the dog and the woman's purse, police said. The victim said the first robber said she had a gun but never displayed one.

Police said the woman who ultimately returned the dog said she had bought it from an unknown female while in O'Fallon Park on Sunday. Once she came home, she took pictures of the dog and posted them online. A friend then contacted her, and told her the dog looked like one that had been shown on the news. The friend then sent her a link to the news story, police said.