The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Teen left ‘terrified’ by hooded men’ s bid to snatch dog
ADundee teenager has been left terrified after three men tried to snatch his dog. Thomas Wilson, 14, said he was chased by the hooded men while walking his 10-month-old German shepherd Simba.
Thomas was walking his usual route on Stannergate Road, close to Broughty Ferry Road, at around 3pm on Saturday when he was approached by three men who began asking to hold his dog.
The Craigie High pupil said: “I was walking down towards the entrance to the port when I noticed that there were two white vans parked on either side, one smaller and one a transit van type.
“I then saw that there were three men all standing beside them and they all had their hoods up.
“I just kept walking past and that’s when they started asking me to hold my dog’s lead.
“I said no and continued walking but when I looked back they were following behind me and you could tell that Simba was alerted to it as well.
“Then I decided to start taking corners because I knew if they went the same way as me that they were definitely following me.
“When they did take the same corners I began running and they chased me and were still shouting, saying ‘come here’ and telling me to give them Simba and holding their hand out to get the lead.
“Luckily I wasn’t far from home and when I got up to the end of the street where you could see houses they stopped following behind. I kept running until I got home.
“It was really terrifying. “Nothing like that has ever happened before and I would never have thought it would happen either, especially during the day.”
Thomas has been walking Simba on that route since the family got him four weeks ago but is now too scared to go alone.
His mum, Melissa Johnston, contacted the police and said although the family are shaken following the incident, she is proud of how her son handled it.
Melissa, 36, added: “I am so proud of Thomas being able to think quickly on his feet and get away safely.
“It is scary as if it had been me there’s no way I would’ve been able to run as fast as him to get away.”
It comes after a dog was snatched from the Dighty Gardens area of Dundee last week and later recovered.
On the same day, four reports were made to police about men acting suspiciously in Baxter Park, with two reports of attempted dog thefts.
“I have heard of incidents elsewhere such as Baxter Park but I didn’t think too much of it,” said Melissa..
“There are always people walking their dogs down Stannergate and lots of females alone who exercise their dogs so it’s really scary this has happened.
“We got Simba after months of trying to find a dog and he’s just so cuddly, you just can’t imagine what they do to any dogs they do manage to take.”
A police spokesperson said: “Around 8.15pm on Saturday March 13 2021 officers received a report of the attempted theft of a dog in Dundee.
“Inquiries are at an early stage.”
A generous community has raised more than £8,000 to help a fire-hit Fife rugby club.
Other sport clubs and well-wishers across the region pulled together to support a crowdfunder in aid of Rosyth Sharks.
The move follows a blaze which badly damaged its clubhouse.
President Ben Morris feared the incident could be the “final nail in the coffin” for the club following a year of closure.
Fire crews tackled the flames at the Harley Street premises early last Tuesday, but the gym area of the clubhouse was devastated.
Two teenagers, aged 13 and 14, have since been charged with wilful fireraising.
They will be reported to the Children’s Reporter.
Mr Morris said the club was “blown away” by the amount already raised.
“To hit £8,000 in such a short space of time is just phenomenal,” he said. “To have the support of locals and other clubs, including our opponents and rivals, has just blown us away, particularly in this current climate where people have lost loved ones and their income.
“Every penny is appreciated and, once restrictions allow, we will be giving them one big thank you.”
He said there had been a real possibility the Sharks would be unable to reopen.
Covid-19 restrictions mean the club has had no income for months.
“It couldn’t have happened at a more hardhitting time,” said Mr Morris.
“All the money that we have in the bank is to help us survive.”