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'Truffles' the Teddy Bear returned after being taken from Coldstone Creamery in Greektown

Posted at 5:05 PM, Dec 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-08 17:05:56-05

We have an update on the stolen teddy bear named Truffles.

He was taken from Coldstone Creamery in Greektown, but the bear is back. The store owner has identified and spoken with the thieves.

One of the women who took Truffles called the store and said she would drop it off at a nearby parking lot yesterday afternoon.

Store Owner Gus Sweis said, "He has been through a very traumatic experience it seems like."

The thieves stole Truffles Saturday night.

One of them used a credit card to make a purchase, which got the ball rolling in identifying them.

After our story aired, Gus says the woman in the purple coat called the store and told them Truffles will be sitting in a nearby parking lot.

He was disappointed she didn't walk in and hand him over. "She didn't want to face the fire. She didn't want to face me. She left him in a parking lot."

They found him dirty, smelling like cigarettes and he had a tear.

The man in the video called Gus after the story aired and apologized, saying he is also local business owner and felt horrible about the situation.

Gus reached out to the woman in the purple coat, but says he doesn't feel she is as remorseful.

"I'm not happy with what I've heard so far from her," Gus explained. "We've exchanged emails. I have not spoken to her directly. She is more remorseful and regretful that she was caught. If she wasn't put on camera, if we didn't capture that under surveillance, where would Truffles be today? I don't know."

We also reached out the woman and asked if she would like to make a public apology but she declined.

"I have not gotten an apology from her. She says she will do that in person. We have yet to schedule that."

Detroit police are taking this seriously.

Gus says he is willing to not press charges if all three come in, apologize to his face and make a $500 donation to a toy drive hosted by Detroit police.

Gus will even match the donation.

"I'm not looking to tie up the courts with this but if we can help out some families in our community, I think that's, at the end of the day, what will make me happy."

Gus called the woman who used a credit card to make a purchase, but he hasn't heard back from her.

Gus is very disappointed that she has not reached out to them yet.

He could press charges if the three don't apologize and make a donation.