A Humboldt County man has spent the holidays in and around Prescott, Ariz., desperately searching for his beloved Mastiffs, Brandy and Max, who were stolen from his property by a nefarious grifter, according to this story in The Daily Courier .

William "Scooter" Reed and his partner, Robin Moberg, own a non-profit alpaca farm in Loleta -- called "Eel River Ranch" -- where mentally and physically challenged kids can visit, according to their Web site .

Reed told the Ariz. paper that he allowed a woman named Shelby Allen to stay in an RV on his property after she claimed to be "fearful of someone." She apparently thanked him by absconding with his beautiful beasts in her white Ford F-350.

Allen was caught and thrown into the Camp Verde jail on Dec. 26, thanks to a warrant issued by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department, the story says. But her boyfriend reportedly still has the dogs.

Reed is quoted as saying, "I'm a big, tough guy, and here I can't even talk about it without crying."