Gloucestershire PCC calls for longer sentences for pet thieves

Chris Nelson said pets' "emotional value" must be reflected in heftier sentences

Sentences for organised criminals who steal pets must be longer, a police and crime commissioner (PCC) said.

Chris Nelson, who was elected Gloucestershire's PCC in May, said pet thieves were keen to take advantage of potentially "easy gains".

He said a clampdown should see the "emotional value" of pets reflected in heftier sentences.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said he was working to address the public's "deep concern" over recent pet thefts.

Demand for dogs in particular has increased during the pandemic, pushing up the cost of some puppies

Mr Nelson has published a plan to try cut down the crime, including treating pet theft as a specific crime rather than the theft of a person's property and changing sentencing guidelines for convicted thieves.

Mr Nelson said: "The penalties I've seen are less than six months so why wouldn't [organised criminals] spend all their time stealing pets rather than robbing banks?"

He said a "significant penalty of up to seven years" would "make them think".

Robert Buckland said there was "deep concern" across the country about dog thefts

Mr Buckland told BBC Politics West that there was "deep concern" about the criminal "underbelly" involved in pet thefts, which had increased recently as new owners took on animals throughout the pandemic.

"We need to see some really important arrests and charges against this organised crime," Mr Buckland said.

He said he was working with other ministers to "work out practical ways that we can stamp out this type of abuse".