Dognapping - usual M.O?

[CAPP0]

So I may be utterly paranoid, but......whilst walking the dog earlier, in a decent street not that far from home, a van towing a trailer full of tree cuttings pulled up alongside us. Said van contained two gentlemen who, based on appearance, may well be more familiar with the inside of a caravan than that of a house. One leans out of the window and says "could you tell me the time?". I grab the dog, who was off the lead at the time (quiet residential cul de sac, and we'd just come off a grassed area), in the course of which my jumper sleeve rides up revealing that I was indeed wearing a watch, so I responded. They had a good look at my dog and drove off.

Now, if there's not a dashboard clock in an 06 Vivaro, or if two men don't have at least one mobile phone each on them, I'm a dutchman. So, it rattled me slightly; not sure what they were after. Will avoid that area for walks for a while and keep my eyes peeled but would be interested to know if anyone's aware of standard means of pinching dogs?

Of course, perhaps I'm just ultra-paranoid, but it seemed odd to me.

Edited by Gaz. on Tuesday 9th October 18:28

[Simpo Two]

Set up a stuffed dog full of explosives and hide nearby. When they grab it, detonate it by remote control.

[JDiz]

If its a greyhound or lurcher then I would be worried the s may be back

[CAPP0]

She's a German Shepherd. Someone PMd me offline after my OP and confirmed my concern and gave me more detail.

I guess a GSD is a candidate for being attached to a long chain and left in a yard

[Simpo Two]

TheLastPost said:

^^^ I had a labrador used to do that, but without the explosives... you just fed him tripe.

I can believe that. A friend has a Labrador who ate a dozen raw eggs - and took out most of the kitchen.





NB The original post had a soundalike of the category from whch the offending gentlemen were likely to have originated. Could someone from PH Towers explain exactly why they have such a problem with this particular category of human?

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 9th October 23:30

[Mubby]

A family friends Husky was taken last week from thier garden, I think you have every right to think them a bit dodgey, like you say for two men not to have a mobile or a watch and the van a clock is a bit strange, people don't really ask the time nowadays do they?!

[Backseatdriver]

There have been instances in the Peterborough area recently of vans pulling up at the side of dog walkers and the dogs being snatched, so do be on your guard.

[Mobile Chicane]

Dog/cat-napping happens quite a lot in my corner of Surrey, and has done for a number of years. Usually in the run-up to the Epsom Derby, when the fun fair is in town. Read into that what you will...

A neighbour's Abyssinian cat was stolen from the wall outside her house. All she heard was a van pull up. She thought nothing of it, thinking it was her husband coming home from work.

Sadly, that one wasn't recovered, but generally the abductors wait for the reward notices to be posted, then phone and claim. Around £500 seems to be the going rate for a dog.

[evilmunkey]

we get a lot of this reported at my local council office where i work.... seems to be a / do what you likey favourite trick the bds... also they seem to be keen on horses then tend to dump them when they move on.... utter pieces of ste they are... its like robbing a family member. i once caught one trying to nick my basil a norwegian forest cat... luckily baz fought back at tore the left eye of the caravan dweller with his claws and was caught. he got 100 hours community service... sods pissed off before he did anything . still nice to know my mog blinded him for life in one eye.

[Simpo Two]

evilmunkey said:

luckily baz fought back at tore the left eye of the caravan dweller with his claws and was caught. he got 100 hours community service... sods pissed off before he did anything . still nice to know my mog blinded him for life in one eye.

Knowing the fked up law in this country it's surprising said dweller didn't sue you for damages...


And steady on, 'likey' sounds a bit like that other word, you know, the bad one we can't say.