Police are warning dog owners to be careful about posting images of their pets on social media, or leaving them outside of shops.
It comes as the number of dog thefts across England and Wales continues to rise.
Last year there was a boom in people buying dogs, largely due to the lockdown and people being at home more often than they usually would be.
However, UK charity DogLost UK recorded a 170% increase in dog thefts - up from 172 dogs in 2019 to 465 dogs in 2020.
Detective Superintendent Neil Austin from the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s acquisitive crime unit said: "The advice I would give from a police perspective is be aware of social media.
“People share pictures of their dogs and puppies on social media and very often haven’t got their privacy settings set correctly, and they use tags which obviously show where you live which is something to be aware of.”
Det Austin says there are two types of dog theft crimes taking place.
"One is the opportunists where they see a dog on its own and they steal it. And the other is the more organised element where they target breeders or people who are selling puppies online.”
He also said, that if possible, owners should avoid leaving their pets alone in public - even if it is just for a few minutes.
“You shouldn’t leave your dog unattended, and people still leave their dog tied up outside a shop,” he said.
“And also, look around your home, make sure you’ve got some home security, CCTV, and that the gates are locked on the garden. All those sorts of basic security steps which you can take to reduce the chance of you having your pet stolen," he continued.
Justine Quirk, of DogLost, commented: “Last March, due to lockdown, lots of people thought that this would be the best time to introduce a dog to the family. The demand grew really high, and some people bought them online without asking the diligent background questions you would usually asking when buying in person.
“When some people got wind at how expensive these dogs are, there was an increase of dog thefts by people who realised how valuable a commodity they are.”
Justine is the owner of two Cockapoo dogs and she says their value has increased since she bought them: "“And now when I walk them both, they’re worth so much more now it’s like I have £6,000 attached to my wrist.”
According to DogLost the most popular breeds that are stolen are cocker spaniels and springer spaniels.
