Following incidents where offenders have stolen, or attempted to steal puppies, officers are warning dog breeders to be extra cautious.
Two reports in less than a month have been submitted from breeders who have experienced thefts of their puppies.
On 7 and 8 November a breeder in the Burton area had nine French bulldogs stolen. They had been advertised for sale on websites. An offender arranged to call at the house posing as a legitimate buyer then left without purchasing a dog. Less than two hours later, the offenders returned and stole puppies. The breeder received a demand for money for the safe return of the dogs. In the early hours of the next morning, more puppies were stolen taking the total to nine. Three men from the London and Essex areas are currently on remand on charges of blackmail.
On Tuesday 13th December a French bulldog breeder in Stoke-on-Trent had a similar experience. Six puppies were stolen, five bitches and a dog. An investigation to trace the offenders and recover the puppies is under way. The same breeder had been subject to an attempt to steal the puppies on Sunday 4 December but the thieves left without taking any dogs on that occasion. However, the offenders posing as buyers had made contact with the breeder through an ad posted on a website.
Ch Insp Ricky Fields said: “I would urge people who have puppies for sale to be cautious about letting prospective buyers into their homes. Some pedigree puppies can be worth thousands of pounds which makes them an attractive prospect for thieves. In both of these incidents, contact with the owners was made through a website. Always make sure you get full contact details for any prospective buyers and don’t leave them unattended. If you have any suspicions about people who come to view your puppies, report them to us on 101 so we can establish whether they are genuine.”
