Dog thefts: Nearly 700 incidents reported in Kent in five years

Cocker spaniels were the most common breed to be reported stolen in Kent

Nearly 700 dogs were reported stolen in Kent in five years, according to police data.

The figures, obtained by BBC Radio Kent, show the most common breeds taken were cocker spaniel, Staffordshire terrier and Jack Russell terrier.

But of the reports, only about a fifth of dogs were later recorded as recovered, while just 10 cases led to criminal charges.

Kent Police said its priority was to ensure pets were recovered safely.

It comes as the government is expected to back making stealing cats and dogs a specific criminal offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ryan O'Meara, co-founder of dogsblog.com - one of the UK's largest dog adoption sites - said criminals saw dog theft as "a crime that has a high reward" because of low conviction rates.

He added that under the current law, "stealing a dog essentially has the exact same legal implication as stealing somebody's watch".

Between the financial years 2018-19 and 2022-23, 692 reports of dog thefts were made to Kent Police.

Ministers are understood to be sympathetic to a plan to change the law

The highest figure was in 2021-22, when 179 were reportedly taken. The lowest was in 2019-20, partly during lockdowns induced by Covid-19, when 98 were reported as taken.

Last year, 159 dogs were stolen, according to the figures.

But very few reports led to positive outcomes for owners, with just 10 cases leading to criminal charges.

Pets considered as property

In one case, an offender was given a youth caution, while in two others, a "community resolution" was found.

Within the same timeframe in Kent, only 148 (21%) of the dogs reportedly stolen in the county were later recorded as recovered by the force.

Supt Pete Steenhuis, head of strategic prevention at the force, said it would do everything it could "to reunite victims with their dogs and identify the people responsible based on the evidence available.

"Our priority is to ensure they are brought back together safely as soon as possible."

He added: "Where there is evidence to support an allegation that a dog has been stolen and which helps us to identify an offender, we will always seek to make arrests and bring charges when appropriate."

A bill debated in the Commons on Friday would create an offence of "pet abduction".

Under the legislation, anyone convicted of the offence could face a fine or a maximum of five years in prison.

Currently, pets are considered in law to be property and stealing a pet is covered by the 1968 Theft Act.

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