Police hope to collar gang behind theft of three cocker spaniels
POLICE are hunting a dognapping gang after pedigree animals worth thousands of pounds were stolen in a series of burglaries.
Officers have stepped up patrols in Hampshire after three cocker spaniels were snatched from separate properties in the space of 24 hours.
There were also suspicious sightings of intruders and cars near kennels in the county over the weekend, leading to fears that an organised gang is at work.
The latest theft saw two cocker spaniels snatched from their kennels in Owslebury, near Winchester, at 3am yesterday.
Their owner was woken by the sound of barking and found that 14-month-old Maisie and nine-month- old Tia were missing.
Maisie was described as very lean with a docked tail and of orange roam colour while Tia is chocolate- coloured with a white flash on her chest. Both dogs are
Suspicious incidents
microchipped and worth £600 each. The previous night, burglars broke into the back garden of a home in Bullington, near Andover, between 7.30pm and 10.30pm and forced entry into a kennel of five dogs.
They stole a six-year- old black and white male cocker spaniel called Jarvis, worth £1,500.
It followed two incidents in November when two English springer spaniels were stolen from a back garden in Holbury, and another dog was held for ransom for a week in Thornhill, Hampshire.
Two other suspicious incidents were reported to police over the weekend. A man was scared away from kennels at a house in Beauworth, Hampshire, at 10pm on Sunday, while a vehicle was seen stopped at kennels in nearby Ovington at 1am on Monday before driving away.
Police officers have stepped up patrols in the rural areas and warned owners to make sure all animals are kept securely and have been micro-chipped.
Sergeant Mark Lamper said: ‘During the festive period, more animals are purchased for pets. If you do buy a dog, please ensure you know the history as you may be purchasing someone else’s pet without knowing.’ Earlier this year, it emerged that high-value pedigree dogs across Hampshire were being stolen on a regular basis. Dog rescue groups warned that the expensive pets were being taken for breeding, hunting and to be sold on, while some said they were used for illegal dog-fighting. In a separate incident on Monday, a white van was seen moving slowly through the streets of Iden, East Sussex, before George, a brown and black Yorkshire terrier, was snatched from a garden shed.
Officers are not immediately linking the theft to those in Hampshire, but have not ruled out the possibility.
Cocker spaniels are a desirable breed that sell for an average of £800 but can reach up to £1,500. They are a favourite with celebrities, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who have a oneyearold black cocker spaniel called Lupo.
Other celebrity fans include actor Martin Clunes – who took his beloved dog Mary on television appearances with him and who now has a second cocker spaniel – and flamboyant interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.