The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Teen’ s terror after dog snatch attempt
Hooded men tried to steal German shepherd from Dundee youth in broad daylight
A Dundee teenager has told how three hooded men tried to steal his dog when he was out walking in the middle of the afternoon.
Thomas Wilson, 14, was in Stannergate Road when he was approached by three men who asked to hold his German shepherd, Simba.
He refused, and the trio started to follow him. Scared, Thomas eventually broke into a run, and the men chased after him and Simba. It was only when he reached the safety of his home that they gave up. Thomas said: “It was really terrifying.
“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.
“Nothing like that has ever happened before and I would never have thought it would happen, especially during the day.”
He had been walking Simba on that route since the family got the dog four weeks ago but is now too scared to go alone.
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.”