Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a number of dogs, including young puppies, were stolen from a kennels in Barton Mills near Mildenhall.
The incident took place on Thursday 9 July at some point between 3.45pm and 7.10pm when 17 dogs were stolen from Fiveways Boarding Kennels and Cattery in Tuddenham Road, Barton Mills.
It is believed the offender/s entered the property from fields at the rear of the site, removing hinges from gates to steal the dogs. The dogs were housed in a purpose-built kennel on the site.
The stolen dogs were:
- One female, black-and-white-coloured Lhasa apso
- One female, honey-and-white-coloured Lhasa apso
- Seven Lhasa apso puppies â one honey-coloured, three black-and-white-coloured males, two black-and-white-coloured females
- Six, five-week-old Labrador puppies â two yellow-coloured males, two black-coloured males and two black-coloured females.
- One three-year-old, chocolate-coloured, working cocker spaniel female.
- One grey and white cockapoo aged between two and three-years-old.
Rural crime sergeant, Brian Calver, has shared crime prevention advice in regards to theft of dogs. You can view this advice at the bottom of this article.
Another dog was also recently stolen in the area. On Monday 6 July, at some point between 1pm and 2.20pm, a cocker spaniel was stolen from the garden of a farm in Holywell Row. The dog was left in a pen enclosure in the garden.
Called ‘Penny’, she is seven-years-old and has black fur with a white bib and lip markings.
Police are investigating both incidents and have not ruled a connection between the two.
Anyone with any knowledge of either theft, or knows of the whereabouts of any of the dogs, should contact Mildenhall police, quoting crime reference 37/38708/20 for the incident in Barton Mills or 37/38055/20 for the incident in Holy Well Row.
Sergeant Brian Calver said: “Organised crime groups are actively targeting addresses, with working breeds tending to be those that are favoured by criminals.
“The loss of any pet can be devastating to owners, with the added trauma of not knowing what sort of conditions the dog is being subjected to. We would advise dog owners to review security of any outdoor kennels.â
Security measures to prevent thefts include good quality locks and lighting, while consideration should be given to CCTV and sensors as these offer an early alert to the presence of intruders.
Gardens should be well secured with fencing or hedges, while gates should be kept locked.
Owners are advised not to leave dogs out in open gardens and yards when they are not at home and, if possible, they should be brought into the house overnight.
Ensure your dog is chipped and, if neutered, mark the dogâs tag as such as this makes them less attractive to thieves that may want to steal them for breeding. When out walking, if you let your dog off the lead, donât allow it to leave your sight.
Sgt Calver also advised dog owners to ensure they were not giving away personal details online.
He said: “Consider your security on social media and avoid giving away details that may highlight your address and the fact you have a dog which could be attractive to thieves.
“We would encourage you to be vigilant of suspicious persons seen around addresses, or any cold callers. Please report such activity, with descriptions of the individuals and their vehicles, as well as sharing those concerns on local watch groups.â