'Keep social media private' urge police as they investigate attempt to snatch pedigree dog

Dog owners have been urged to keep their social media settings to private in the wake of an attempt to snatch a dog while its owner took it for a walk.
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The incident happened at 1.30pm yesterday, Saturday, February 13, as a man in his 20s took his English Bulldog for a walk and was pushed to the ground after he was approached by a man.

The suspect grabbed the dog’s lead and attempted to run off.

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Police say fortunately, the victim was able to keep hold of the dog and then headed home with the dog unharmed, while the suspect made his escape.

Police have issued advice to dog owners following the attempt to steal an English Bulldog from a man in Hartlepool.Police have issued advice to dog owners following the attempt to steal an English Bulldog from a man in Hartlepool.
Police have issued advice to dog owners following the attempt to steal an English Bulldog from a man in Hartlepool.
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He has been described as a white male, aged in his mid-20s, of chubby build and “scruffy” in appearance.

He was wearing a dark zipped jacket, black Nike tracksuit bottoms, white Adidas socks with his tracksuit bottoms tucked in them and trainers.

Officers believe that the incident, onWiltshire Way in Hartlepool, near to the locally named ‘black path, is likely to have been “opportunist.”

The incident happened in Wiltshire Way in Hartlepool. Image copyright Google Maps.The incident happened in Wiltshire Way in Hartlepool. Image copyright Google Maps.
The incident happened in Wiltshire Way in Hartlepool. Image copyright Google Maps.
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They are asking any witnesses or anyone with information regarding the man responsible to come forward as they issue advice to dog owners in a bid to ward off future attacks.

A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “Whilst there was an increase in reported dog thefts nationally in 2020, Cleveland Police has received a small number – three – reports of incidents relating to dog theft to date this year.

The number of incidents in Cleveland remains low, however, officers would ask members of the public to follow the advice from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) on taking precautionary measures such as checking privacy settings on social media before sharing pictures of pets online, as this can attract attention from some criminals.

"Further advice on protecting your dog against theft can be found on the Blue Cross website, along with steps to take if this happens.”

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Laura Baker, from Hartlepool CID, on the non-emergency number 101, quoting incident number 023327.

Independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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