Dognapper ‘acid attack’
Owner doused with corrosive liquid on morning walk as thieves demand his pet
A DOG walker has been doused with corrosive liquid by callous thieves who tried to snatch his pet.
Two men demanded the victim hand over his dog before throwing an ‘unknown’ substance at him when he challenged them, say police.
The attack comes as acid becomes increasingly prevalent in crimes up and down the country.
Last month, thugs threw acid at a three-year- old boy outside a supermarket in Worcester.
Latest figures from police are expected to show there have been 800 acid attacks in the past 12 months – up from 700 in the previous year and 400 in 2016.
The latest attack happened on Sunday between 7.30am and 8.30am in the picturesque village of Boughton Monchelsea, near Maidstone, Kent.
The victim was rushed to hospital and his dog was taken to a vet for a check-up. Kent Police, who are investigating the attack, have urged other owners to take care.
Detective Sergeant Jemma Cropper, from the force, said: ‘We are urging dog walkers in the area to be vigilant and are advising them to keep dogs on leads.’
The first suspect is described by police as being in his 40s, large build, wearing a white shirt and jeans. The second man was in his 30s and is described as slim.
‘We are also appealing for anyone with information about the incident or who recognises the descriptions of the two men to contact us,’ DS Cropper said.
Crime is at a record high with 5.5million offences recorded last year – up 11 per cent on the 12 months before, Ministry of Justice data shows. Dogs are also increasingly being stolen amid a soaring market for ‘designer’ pets.
Five dogs are stolen every day and many are never recovered, according to a report by Direct Line Pet Insurance this year.
Some 1,909 dogs were stolen last year – 7 per cent more than the 1,788 in 2016, research shows.
But the actual number of ‘dognappings’ could be twice as high as many owners do not alert police when their pet is taken.
The attack comes as a Daily Mail poll last month revealed that 57 per cent of the public fear police have surrendered control of Britain’s neighbourhoods to thugs who are unafraid of being caught.