Resident stops an attempted dog theft in Weasenham

Police were called to Weasenham on Tuesday afternoon after a resident reported two men attempting to encourage dogs into their car.

The incident happened at 12.20pm in Harpley Road, when two white men in their 30’s approached the man’s dogs. When the owner shouted, the men drove off in a red Subaru estate car.

The driver of the vehicle was described as having mousy-brown hair and a goatee beard.

The resident and dog-owner, Wayne Maud, said: “A red estate car drove past me then the driver asked me how many dogs I had. I noticed the passenger get out and open the boot, while the driver was talking to me in a fake Irish accent, then started to call the dogs in. I shouted to the dog to get in the garden and they drove off in Fakenham direction.”

A Norfolk Police spokesperson said: “Dog thefts are relatively rare in Norfolk. We would advise all pet owners to make sure animals are not left unattended in gardens and to ensure security measures are in place, such as fitting locks on gates and keeping windows and doors secure.

“It’s also a good idea to make sure pets are micro-chipped and contact details are up to date which will make it much harder for criminals to take a pet and sell it on.”