Attempt to steal dogs from a dog walker

[SilverLinings]

Just seen this BBC News story, a male dog walker was injured with a knife when a man and woman attempted to steal the four dogs he was walking by snatching their leads from his hands. Apparently the dogs were terriers and the man was walking them for a local rescue charity. I know some people will steal anything but are terriers so expensive at the moment that it's worth risking arrest for a knife attack (as well as theft)? Hopefully it is a one-off, as surely there are easier ways to steal dogs (like helping yourself to the ones owners let of the lead and then ignore).

Leicester: Man hurt after man and woman attempted to steal four dogs

The dog walker sustained a "slash wound" to his hand and was taken to hospital, police say.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[oldandgold]

Could it be possible the people "knew" the dogs?

 

[Smitty]

Just seen this BBC News story, a male dog walker was injured with a knife when a man and woman attempted to steal the four dogs he was walking by snatching their leads from his hands. Apparently the dogs were terriers and the man was walking them for a local rescue charity. I know some people will steal anything but are terriers so expensive at the moment that it's worth risking arrest for a knife attack (as well as theft)? Hopefully it is a one-off, as surely there are easier ways to steal dogs (like helping yourself to the ones owners let of the lead and then ignore).

Leicester: Man hurt after man and woman attempted to steal four dogs

The dog walker sustained a "slash wound" to his hand and was taken to hospital, police say.

www.bbc.co.uk

Some terriers are expensive, well, around the £1,000 mark, and bizzarely, although people think they are very common, there are not so many available to buy. Also, I suppose, it would depend on what type of terrier it was, and what they intended using it for after stealing it.

I dont think you would go armed with a knife and then try to steal four if you just wanted a pet surely? It does all seem very odd. Hope the thieving barstewards are caught, although suppose that's unlikely.

Whatever, so glad they didn't succeed and I hope the poor man will recover from the wounds quickly and doesn't have too much emotional damage.

 

[Gloi]

Could it be possible the people "knew" the dogs?

I'd be suspicious too. Someone trying to get a dog back from the charity.

 

[ycbm]

Could it be possible the people "knew" the dogs?

Almost certainly.
.

 

[SilverLinings]

I did wonder whether there was further information not disclosed in the story, especially as violence was used and it's easier to steal one of the off-lead dogs that are always around. Round here the only dogs that seem to be stolen are whatever the current 'designer breed' is, so currently dachshunds, was french bulldogs and pugs. Also the odd really expensive specialist dog like a trials sheepdog or gamekeepers dogs, where the thief was clearly after that particular dog rather than the breed in general. Luckily I think we have far fewer dog thefts than some parts of the country, but I had hoped the numbers everywhere would be going down now that the pandemic craze and stupid prices has passed.

It's an odd paradox: I wouldn't want dogs/puppies to be so cheap that people can buy them without thinking twice, but if they are really expensive (as during the pandemic) then there are more thefts, unscrupulous people get involved in breeding, and bitches are used to pump out even more litters.

Hopefully the terriers in the story end up in good homes.

 

[Sleighfarer]

I'm being a bit dim here. What do people mean about the potential thieves 'knowing' the dogs. Do you mean they handed them over and now want them back for some reason? There don't seem to be any terriers on the rescue's site, but some of the other dogs are quite interesting. There are a few described as having been rescued from the Chinese meat trade. Is that a thing now? I've never seen that before.

 

[CorvusCorax]

There's loads of rescues taking dogs from China or en route there.

 

[Smitty]

They c

I'm being a bit dim here. What do people mean about the potential thieves 'knowing' the dogs. Do you mean they handed them over and now want them back for some reason? There don't seem to be any terriers on the rescue's site, but some of the other dogs are quite interesting. There are a few described as having been rescued from the Chinese meat trade. Is that a thing now? I've never seen that before.

Well, they could have been "siezed" for welfare or other reasons and people are trying to get them back.

 

[Gloi]

They c

Well, they could have been "siezed" for welfare or other reasons and people are trying to get them back.

Or handed in as a stray when it is actually someone else's in a relationship breakup or family dispute. . Seen that happen.

 

[Mosh]

I'm relatively local and there is at least 3 reports of attempted dog thefts in that area with similar descriptions of suspects. I think the terriers belong to the man attacked and he had rescued them and volunteers at the rescue centre.
The speculation is they were being seized for bait dogs but that is just speculation currently

 

[Smitty]

I'm relatively local and there is at least 3 reports of attempted dog thefts in that area with similar descriptions of suspects. I think the terriers belong to the man attacked and he had rescued them and volunteers at the rescue centre.
The speculation is they were being seized for bait dogs but that is just speculation currently

I have to say I suspect it was for reasons other than reclaiming a loved household pet or obtaining a dog as a pet. So glad the chap was able to fight them off and hope they are caught before they actually manage to steal one.

 

[Lois Lame]

Could it be possible the people "knew" the dogs?

 

[planete]

When I volunteered for a lurcher rescue we were careful to rehome dogs well away from the places they came from.