Warning to dog owners after puppies stolen from Suffolk kennels

A woman from Suffolk says she's been left heartbroken by dog thieves who targeted her boarding kennels.

Four adult dogs were taken from Fiveways Kennels in Barton Mills on Thursday (July 9) but 13 puppies were also ripped from their mothers just weeks after being born.

Owner Sarah Francis fears puppy farmers are behind a recent spate in dog thefts - criminals who're looking to cash in on desirable breeds.

"They might as well be flogging lawnmowers because they don't care," she said.

"It's all to do with money. Covid means the price of puppies has rocketed - there just aren't the puppies around and that makes them even more valuable to these people because they know they're going to get more for them."

One of the dogs stolen from Barton Mills Credit: Suffolk Police

It comes as dog owners are warned of a huge rise in thefts as demand for puppies rises.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the latest incident, where it is believed the offenders got in from the back of the site and took hinges off gates to steal the dogs from their kennels. 

The stolen dogs were:

  • One female, black-and-white-coloured Lhasa apso

  • One female, honey-and-white-coloured Lhasa apso

  • Seven Lhasa apso puppies – one honey-coloured, three black-and-white-coloured males, two black-and-white-coloured females

  • Six, five-week-old Labrador puppies – two yellow-coloured males, two black-coloured males and two black-coloured females.

  • One three-year-old, chocolate-coloured, working cocker spaniel female.

  • One grey and white cockapoo aged between two and three-years-old.

Police say another dog was also recently stolen in the area. On Monday 6 July, at some point between 1pm and 2.20pm, a cocker spaniel was stolen from the garden of a farm in Holywell Row. The dog was left in a pen enclosure in the garden.

Called 'Penny', she is seven-years-old and has black fur with a white bib and lip markings.

Police are investigating both incidents and have not ruled a connection between the two.

Anyone with any knowledge of either theft, or knows of the whereabouts of any of the dogs, should contact Mildenhall police, quoting crime reference 37/38708/20 for the incident in Barton Mills or 37/38055/20 for the incident in Holy Well Row, via:

Website – http://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/existing-report-update

 

Police say security measures to prevent thefts include good quality locks and lighting, while consideration should be given to CCTV and sensors as these offer an early alert to the presence of intruders.

Gardens should be well secured with fencing or hedges, while gates should be kept locked.