Callous thieves steal litter of a seven cocker spaniel puppies worth £2,000 EACH and their mother from caravan amid spate of dog thefts
- The owners of seven cocker spaniel puppies have been left ‘utterly heartbroken’
- Dogs stolen by callous thieves during a burglary in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire
- Their mother was also taken from the caravan on July 22 along with a wallet
The owners of seven cocker spaniel puppies and their mother have been left ‘utterly heartbroken’ after the dogs were stolen by callous thieves during a burglary.
The litter of black puppies, which were valued at up to £2,000 each, were taken from a caravan in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, between 1.30 and 2.30pm on July 22.
Their mother was also taken from the caravan along with a wallet and the owners of the family of dogs, who were estimated to be worth up to £14,000 altogether, are ‘heartbroken’.
The theft is the latest in a spate of stolen dog incidents across Cambridgeshire over the last three months.
The owners of seven cocker spaniel puppies (one of the cocker spaniels pictured) and their mother have been left ‘heartbroken’ after they were stolen from a caravan in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, on July 22
The family of dogs, which were valued at up to £2,000 each, were taken from a caravan in Cottenham last week
Last week Cambridgeshire Police urged the public to be on the lookout for the family of cocker spaniels and warned dog owners to be extra vigilant about keeping an eye on their pets.
Detective Sergeant Ashley Ryan, of the force’s southern burglary team, said: ‘The owners are utterly heartbroken and extremely concerned for the welfare of their dogs.
‘I’m urging anyone who has been offered a similar looking dog, or knows someone who has, to get in touch.’
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference 35/48592/20 alternatively report online www.cambs.police.uk/report.
Across Cambridgeshire, there have been six other dog theft incidents in the last three months.
On May 3, two cocker spaniels were stolen from Bluntisham, but were found and returned to their rightful owners following a warrant in Willingham on June 5.
Elsewhere on May 13, a cocker spaniel was stolen from Stow Cum Quy and on May 21, a spaniel was stolen from Newborough, Peterborough, but returned after a social media campaign by the owners.
Two major dog thefts last month saw nine dogs stolen from Horningsea on June 11 – with one was found close by shortly after – and a cocker spaniel stolen from Wilburton on June 23.
And on July 3, there was an attempt to steal dogs in Haddenham.
It is believed that a rise in the prices paid for dogs is the reason behind the thefts.
Police are now asking the public to come forward with any information they have about the litter of dogs
In a Twitter post Cambridgeshire Police urged members of the public to be on the lookout
Dog owners are being advised by police to keep an ID tag on their dog at all times, and lock gates using bolts at the top and bottom, along with a heavy-duty padlock.
Owners are also advised to never leave their pets unattended in the garden, and to ensure there are no places where dogs or other animals can escape or be pulled through, if they are left in a back garden.
Garden gates should be fitted with a bell or gate alarm which makes a sound when someone opens it, and driveway alarms should be purchased to alert dog owners to any visitors.
Dogs should be microchipped and their details updated, so that they can be returned if they are stolen and subsequently found.
And owners should avoid leaving a dog tied up outside a shop or left alone in a car, even for a few minutes.
Dog thefts should be reported to police straight away, and as many photos as possible provided to prove ownership if it is stolen and then found.