London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Priti Patel promises crackdown on pet thieves as eight dachshunds stolen

Priti Patel promises crackdown on pet thieves as eight dachshunds stolen

Priti Patel has pledged to ‘go after’ thieves who steal and sell-on people’s pets amid a spike in these kinds of crimes during lockdown.

In the latest incident, eight miniature dachshunds were stolen overnight on Thursday from a property near Swadlincote in Derbyshire.

There have also been arrests over suspected dog thefts in Manchester, Bristol and Cambridgeshire in recent weeks.

The Home Secretary has promised to look at measures to tackle what she called the ‘absolutely shocking’ pet thefts.

Speaking on LBC Radio, Ms Patel stopped short of committing to tougher new laws but said she was ‘looking into what kind of measures can be put in place in terms of the criminality’.

It comes after former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith called for tougher sentences for pet thieves.

Ms Patel said: ‘This is absolutely shocking, it’s a shocking crime that is taking place’, adding that she understood in London ‘it’s very prevalent right now’.

She said: ‘I’m looking at this, I am absolutely looking at what we can do.’

Dachshunds are among the most popular breeds in the UK

Pet thefts have increased during lockdown


Ms Patel added: ‘This is a very serious issue… it’s absolutely horrible, quite frankly.

‘I can give your listeners this assurance now. We are definitely looking into what kind of measures can be put in place in terms of the criminality, because obviously that is the piece that sits with me, not the sentencing, what we might be able to do in laws to absolutely go after these individuals that are stealing pets and making money out of this.’

But she stopped short of suggesting that any new laws could be on the way when asked, instead saying: ‘I’m not going to say a new law is on the way, I’m not going to promise something that not’s going to be delivered but I am looking at this right now.’

Nottinghamshire’s deputy police and crime commissioner, Emma Foody, has urged dog owners to keep a closer eye on their pets amid reports of a spate of thefts in her area.

Pet owners have been urged to be on their guard


According to Ms Foody, the charity DogLost has seen reports of thefts rise by 170% in the past year from 172 dogs in 2019 to 465 in 2020.

High demand for pets during lockdown has pushed prices up among some of the most popular breeds.

Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: ‘During the coronavirus pandemic, criminals have adjusted their activities and are taking advantage of the big demand for pets over the lockdown period.

‘The cost of a puppy has considerably increased over the past year, making this a lucrative market for organised criminals to exploit.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×