Less dogs stolen, but many more being... REHOMED

DOG owners in London are most likely to have their pet stolen, with the capital recording the most thefts in the UK for the eighth year in a row.

The Metropolitan Police recorded 396 dog thefts in 2022, analysis of police data by Direct Line Pet Insurance has revealed.

That’s 219 more than Kent, the region with the second highest thefts West Yorkshire saw the third largest thefts in 2022 with almost 130 dogs stolen

While London has topped the list since 2015, there were 26 fewer repor ts of stolen dogs last year compared with 2021

Stolen dog repor ts across Britain dropped by 22 per cent last year compared to 2021, the data shows.

A tightening of average household incomes may have reduced overall demand for dogs, paired with an increase in the number of dogs being rehomed.

Between Januar y and October 2022, the Dogs Trust saw a 50 per cent rise in inquiries regarding dog rehoming compared to the same period in 2021

But a significant number of stolen dog cases still go unrepor ted and there has been an uptake in the number of people using dog walkers

“We remain a nation of dog lovers As more than a third of UK households own a dog, the oppor tunity for thieves is high, with six dogs stolen each day in 2022,” said Madeline Pike , Veterinar y Nurse for Direct Line Pet Insurance said.

“While there has been a decrease in the number of dogs stolen, animal shelters have seen a sharp rise in the number of pets being rehomed.

“This is likely to be a sign that households are struggling with the cost of living or that they can no longer give their pet the attention they need due to a change in their working patterns ”

Ms Pike warns dog owners to avoid leaving their pet tied up outside a shop or in an empty car. Owners are reminded to keep dogs on leads in busy areas and to make sure their pet is microchipped.

Around 2,160 dogs were nabbed across Britain in 2022 - the equivalent of six dogs each day - but of those stolen, just one in four were returned.

American bulldogs were the most popular breed among British dognappers Ninety were repor ted stolen in 2022, compared with just 20 in the previous year American bulldog puppies can be adver tised anywhere between £1,500 to £5,000 each

Staffordshire Bull Terriers were second on the list to be targeted, with 71 nabbed, followed by French bulldogs, Jack Russells and Chihuahuas

English bulldogs, Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherds, Yorkshire Terriers and Huskies were also among the top 10 stolen breeds

In London Staffordshire Bull Terriers are the most stolen breed, with almost 500 nabbed in the past decade Thir ty-seven were stolen in 2022, with hotspots including Croydon, Bromley and Enfield

It’s paybac k time

A “FAMILY man ” who laundered more than £1m in counterfeit vinyl record sales has been spared jail, but has been ordered to pay back £373,589.64.

Richard Hutter pocketed £1,247,222 selling fake LP vinyls of iconic rock ar tists to unsuspecting customers on his own website and eBay, Bournemouth Crown Cour t heard

The 55-year-old was snared when a customer repor ted him to Trading Standards after he refused to refund a “ ver y poor sound quality” Queens of the Stone Age record

His venture , involving his wife and son, Vinyl Groove UK, involved selling materials by ar tists including The Clash, Nir vana, and Guns ‘ n ’ Roses

Sentenced solely on a charge of money laundering – Hutter was given a four-month suspended sentence and must do 250 hours of unpaid work

Confisca tion order

AN ex-Cambridge University academic and convicted fraudster has paid £1m back to the taxpayer after a National Crime Agency investigation to track his hidden assets.

Ehsan Abdi Jalebi, 42, was sentenced to four years behind bars in 2018 after claiming more than £2m from a green energy project

The NCA proved he was falsifying documents to secure government grants to his company Wind Technologies Ltd.

The CPS applied for a Confiscation Order in August 2021 where it was established that Jalebi had amassed a criminal benefit of £2,095,928.

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