Owner foils attempt by armed man to steal her dog

A grassy roadside verge with a path leading into the commonImage source, Google
Image caption,

A woman was walking her dog on Redhill Common when she was approached by a man

  • Published

A masked man armed with a knife who attempted to steal a dog was forced to flee when the owner refused to hand over her pet.

Dorset Police said the woman was walking her dog around Redhill Common in Bournemouth at about 11:00 BST on Monday when a man wearing a balaclava approached her.

He reportedly threatened her with a knife and told her to hand over the dog but left when the woman refused and the dog began to bark, the force said.

The man is described as white, about six feet tall and of slim build. He was wearing a grey tracksuit, with matching top and bottoms.

Police said the attacker left in the direction of Redhill Avenue.

PC Louis Kellaway said the incident "must have been a very distressing encounter for the victim", and asked anyone who saw anything suspicious or who has CCTV or dashcam footage to contact the police.