There has been a rise in dog theft in Llanelli and the surrounding areas over the last couple of months.
Numerous attempts and successful animal thefts have been made within Llanelli and the surrounding areas over the last few weeks, with a main focus being on dogs.
The residents of Llanelli and the public, specifically dog owners, are now terrified of taking their dogs out for daily strolls, especially on their own and at night.
Dog owners have been encouraged to be on high alert following a number of reports of dog thieving.
A stream of warnings from West Wales and other parts of the country have been spreading on social media, warning them to be on high alert and avoid walking their animals in isolated areas.
Organised groups have been reported to target people in quieter parts of Welsh towns, and posing as RSPCA workers, walking down streets using dog whistles to get their attention to know which properties to target.
The latest dog theft attempt happened to former amateur boxer, James Cosens, on the millennial coastal path near Llanelli.
James’ 20-week-old collie, Rosie, ran up to two strangers at the Morfa Berwig Nature Reserve near Bynea, one of them picked her up and said they’re taking the dog, threatening him with a knife if he tried to protest.
Police say that dog theft has risen due to the national lockdowns the UK have faced due to Covid, in which prices of animals have increased.
There has been a rise in demand for puppies during lockdown, and according to the police, 2020 was one of the worst years ever for it.
Social media has also reportedly been used to target dog owners who are sharing their locations when they take their dogs for walks on their social media.
Police forces in and around Wales have issued a number of warnings about dog thefts. Luckily,
a number of stolen dogs have been recovered.
Dog owner Zoe David, a nursing services facilitator, has expressed concern about the recent events:
“It’s all made me and my family feel very anxious about taking our dog out for a walk,” Zoe explains.
“Particularly in the evenings as I have a teenage daughter who’s 16-years-old . So much so I’ve
purchased some defence spray for our safety and protection,” she continued.
At the end of January 2021, Dyfed-Powys Police recovered between 70-80 dogs in outbuildings in Carmarthenshire.
The dogs suspected of being stolen were worth around £40,000.
South Wales Police recovered six stolen dogs in Briton Ferry over the same weekend.
Both forces launched an investigation and attempted to reunite the puppies and dogs with their original owners, of which 28 have been reunited after being traced by microchip.
The remaining dogs are safe and being cared for by professional kennels.
Dyfed-Powys Police have since made two arrests in connection with the investigation, and published a statement on the 11th of February, stating: “Following our appeal yesterday, we have seen an upturn
in reports of suspicious activity, and this is helping us with our enquiries. Thank you.”
The post continued, “We have now established a taskforce to tackle dog thefts in the force area, and have allocated a chief inspector to lead our operational response.”
“At this point in time, the incident on the Carmarthenshire coastal path is the only incident reported to us of an individual approached in public and the attempts made to take a dog, using force. This is currently being investigated by Llanelli CID.”
In October 2020, MPs debated two petitions, signed by almost 300,000 people, urging the government to make pet theft a specific offence, with the Dogs Trust calling for tougher sentences.
Dyfed-Powys Police have also published an e-fit of a potential suspect, described as being in his 40s, around 6ft tall, of stocky build, and wearing light blue jeans and a dark puffer jacket. The second man is described as being in his 20s, around 5ft 6in tall, and wearing similar clothing.
If this happens to you, or if you may have seen the suspect, report it.
Get a description of the individuals, their clothes and their accent. If safe to do so, take not of their vehicle, registration number and any specific markings or features.
The Llanelli Standard wishes you the best and hopes that you remain safe.
