English bulldog puppies stolen during Wellingborough armed raid

A composite picture of the five-week-old English bulldog puppies that were stolen during a raid on a house in Wellingborough

Five English bulldog puppies have been stolen by burglars who threatened their owners with weapons at their house.

The five-week-old dogs were at a house on Windermere Drive, Wellingborough on Monday afternoon.

Northamptonshire Police said three men entered "and threatened the occupants with weapons before making off with the puppies".

Det Insp Johnny Campbell said it had been an "extremely distressing and upsetting incident".

Police said the burglary happened between 16:20 and 16:35 GMT.

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Det Insp Campbell said: "This was an extremely distressing and upsetting incident for the family.

"It's not clear at this time whether the puppies were the target of the robbery or whether it was a spontaneous decision in the moment to steal them."

Demand for dogs has skyrocketed during the coronavirus lockdown, with organised crime gangs exploiting the situation by smuggling puppies from abroad and stealing dogs in the UK.

The RSPCA said it was "really concerning to see how many dogs are being stolen each year".

A spokesman said the charity did not deal directly with pet theft, but added: "We believe the rise in dognapping could be as a result of the surging popularity, and value, of certain 'designer' breeds and fashionable crossbreeds."

Det Insp Campbell said pet owners or breeders with concerns should speak to their local neighbourhood policing teams for crime prevention advice.