Police are investigating after a "suspicious" man approached and questioned a woman walking her dog.
Gwent Police said the woman reported that a suspicious man approached her on Tuesday morning in Newport.
The man was asking suspicious questions about the woman’s dog. The woman and dog walked off unharmed.
It comes during a worrying trend of dog thefts across south west Wales which has caused owners to become increasingly alarmed and concerned.
In recent months, police forces have received a growing number of reports of dogs going missing from their homes, and there have even been alarming incidences of owners being confronted whilst taking their canine companions for a walk.
Officers said the man is described as being white, in his 30s, with dark hair and was wearing a baseball cap. He left in an off-white coloured Audi A1 which was followed by a dark grey van which had orange writing on the side.
The incident happened in Caerleon Road, St Julians, on Tuesday, February 16 at 9.25am.
Officers are appealing to anyone who may have seen either of these vehicles in the area of Caerleon Road or Heather Road to get in contact. Anyone with any dash-cam footage of the area at the time is also asked to come forward.
PC Kate Jenkins said: “Understandably, reports of this nature are very concerning to dog owners and we would like to reassure residents that they are being investigated thoroughly.
“While we have not received any recent reports of dog thefts in Gwent, we are aware that there has been an increase nationally in this type of crime."
She added: “Dog owners are urged to take extra security measures to ensure the safety of their dogs for example by ensuring your pet is microchipped and to check your privacy settings on social media before sharing pictures of your pet online, as this can attract the attention of some criminals.”
Anyone who sees anything suspicious is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference 2100055243 or to call 999 in an emergency.
