Dognappers are pinching 5 pets a day

FIVE dogs are reported stolen every day, according to the latest figures.

a staggering 1,774 dog thefts were reported to police last year.

This is up 19 per cent from 2014, when 1,491 thefts were reported.

However, the actual number of dognappings is thought to be as much as double this, as many owners do not report the thefts to police. Sadly, only one in five dogs are ever recovered.

There has been a steady rise in dog thefts and illegal puppy breeding in recent years as thieves look to make money from increasingly popular ‘designer’ pets, which can sell for more than £1,000.

Thefts of such breeds, including French bulldogs and pugs, are on the rise, although the most stolen breed was the Staffordshire bull terrier, according to direct Line Pet Insurance. It used Freedom of Information laws to compile figures on dog thefts from 34 police forces.

The force that recorded the highest number of thefts last year was the Metropolitan Police with 231 reports, followed by West Yorkshire Police with 208 and Greater Manchester Police with 168.

The Staffordshire bull terrier was the most prized target breed, with 634 thefts reported between 2014 and 2016. chihuahuas was the second most stolen breed, with 143 thefts in the same period, followed by Jack Russell terriers at 111.

Only a small number were ever found: Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire Police returned the highest number to their owners in 2016, at 37 each.

experts claim the rise in thefts reflects how criminals have become more organised as the money to be made from illegal puppy breeding rises.

More than 700,000 puppies are sold each year in a trade worth up to £300million.

a separate study of 2,000 dog owners by direct Line found that most dogs – 23 per cent – were stolen from gardens, while 11 per cent were taken from homes and a further 11 per cent while out walking.

Last night charity DogLost, which works to reunite dogs with their owners, said it believed the figure for annual dognappings was closer to 3,000. It estimates that more than 60 dogs a week are stolen, up 24 per cent up in the last three years. Most are sold on or used for breeding.

The charity said the direct Lines figures also failed to take into account the crime of theft by finding, where a dog is lost and has been found by someone who does not report it.

a spokesman said: ‘It is incredibly hard to obtain a crime number for dog theft unless you can show actual evidence of a break-in. dogs stolen from gardens or from open spaces are poorly represented because owners can’t prove they were taken.’ Prit Powar, head of pet insurance at direct Line, said: ‘Simple measures like locking doors and keeping the property secured will help deter thieves.

‘Pedigree dog owners should be particularly vigilant as these dogs can often fetch thousands of pounds and have certain characteristics to make it easier for thieves to spot them.

‘If the worst was to happen, owners should make sure they report it to the police immediately and spread the word.’