Six 'valuable' dogs stolen from van in Forest Hill

Five-year-old pug Pia was taken from outside her dog walker's house

Six pets worth thousands of pounds have been stolen from a dog walker's van in south London.

Three Pugs, a Chihuahua, a Jug - a Pug crossed with a Jack Russell - and a Puggle, a Pug-Beagle crossbreed, were taken in Kemble Road, Forest Hill.

A witness said they saw two men load the animals into a black VW van and drive off.

The Met confirmed four dogs were swiped in a similar incident outside a house in nearby Streatham in July.

Dog owner Yuriko Matsukawa, whose five-year-old pug Pia was taken earlier, said the stolen pets were valuable, with pug puppies worth around £1,000.

She added: "I'm devastated. I'm desperate to be reunited with her."

The Evening Standard reported the dogs in Streatham were stolen from a dog walker's van in Glennie Road.

The Met Police confirmed the pets were still missing.

The Greater London Authority said last month there had been an an increase in dog thefts in the capital since 2013.

It found dog thefts made up the majority of domestic pet thefts across London and had increased from 186 in 2014 to 217 in 2015.