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Dog theft gangs marking target houses with chalk symbols

Sophisticated gangs of dog thieves appear to be using clandestine signals to mark homes which contain valuable pedigree breeds and returning to steal the animals at a later time.
Police have warned pet owners to be vigilant against unusual symbols which my appear on exterior walls or on adjoining roads and pavements.
Police in County Durham have found a series of chalk letters and symbols, on and around properties in the force area.
They fear the markings are being used by thieves to target houses with dogs living there, either planning to steal them themselves or guiding others to the home.
Police say that while many of the incidents were confined to Darlington, there have been reports of similar thefts across the county in the run-up to Christmas.
More here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...k-symbols.html

Your comments and views:
Trouble
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 14,265
Female  Diamond Supporter 
 
27-01-2015, 11:13 AM
The story is disjointed and makes little sense to me. Are there many trained working dogs in Darlington? If they are targeting Pugs and chihuahua's they sure as hell won't be using them as bait dogs as it alludes, they'll be selling them on. A rehomed Pug can easily fetch between 500-750 quid. Also they're nicked to be bred from as even unregistered Pug pups can rake in 700-800 quid. Microchipping would not prevent the use of dogs as bait dogs either, very confusing. It might stop someone from taking a dog on for rehoming though, although usually you would have paid your money before getting the dog scanned and discovering he belonged to someone else.
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Musher
Dogsey Junior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 245
Male 
 
27-01-2015, 07:58 PM
I think this is a kind of "adreneline junky" behaviour since there is absolutely no reason to steal dogs when there are so many in shelters looking for homes.
Someone(stupid someone)attempted to steal a Dobey from an aquaintance of mine once a few years ago....once. The owner caught up to him and exchanged the dog for the guy keeping his other 8 fingers.
Barbaric?...maybe. Humane?....relative. Theft deterent?...FO SHO Compassionate?....again.relative.
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Gnasher
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,775
Female 
 
27-01-2015, 09:23 PM
I reckon it was compassionate Musher ... because the guy only lost 2 fingers ... could so easily have been his 2 testicles!!
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Musher
Dogsey Junior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 245
Male 
 
29-01-2015, 04:53 AM
Gnasher, you're encouragable.
Love it.
My dad would love conversing with you too.

Again.... 1,000's in shelters....
Go figure.
Maybe I'm dumb, but I can't seem to think my way around that a rescue would cost about $200.00 to $500.00tops... ... and people will pay upwards of $4000.00 for a little designer dog that is most likely a product of a puppymill and/or a theft.
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Gnasher
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,775
Female 
 
29-01-2015, 07:21 AM
So I'm told Musher!!

We have a saying in the UK ... There's nowt so odd as folk! (Nowt = nothing by the way, slang English!)
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mjfromga
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,680
Female 
 
29-01-2015, 08:50 AM
Musher, that would be...

Gnasher, you're incorrigible. However, your spelling of the word did give me a giggle. You are right, however. She is! As am I. I've never gotten the stolen dog thing. I wonder if they can really sell the dogs for a lot when they don't even have the papers or anything.

Meh, I pay shelter prices for my mutts or get them from people who irresponsibly accidentally bred for free. I only keep pets, so I see no need to buy an expensive pure bred dog just to keep him as a sidekick. Any old mongrel will do for that.
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whippetjane
New Member!
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 17
Female 
 
31-01-2015, 06:15 PM
Its still happening on my estate.Last summer in Bolton there was a lot of Staffordshire bulls stolen from back gardens.plus quiet a few pedigrees.these people arent out to keep dogs for themselves there stolen on demand.summer is the prime time cos peeps let their pets out in gardens.Or just after christmas.a few streets down from me a family had their blue staff stolen from back garden.The mum put him out back to do his buisness,one of her children shouted her,she was gone 5 mins and she saw a guy jumping her fence with the pup.The family is devistated.They paid 500 for pup and it will get sold for 250.Disgrace.
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