Two Irish schoolgirls have done their bit to thwart a dognapping ring that has been breaking families' hearts around the country.
Quick-thinking 10-year-old Sophie and her best pal Danielle from Sutton in north Dublin spent hours on Thursday cutting zip ties from their neighbours bins and front gates.
The plastic markers are used by gangs to identify properties that have dogs - with criminals also using chalk to signal whether the homeowner is elderly, lives alone, or has a house alarm, Dublin Live reports.
Sophie's mum Sarah posted a photo of the girls' haul as a warning to dog owners in the area to stay vigilant.
She wrote: "Sophie and Danielle just cut these zip ties off the bins in the estate this morning!! Watch your pets."
The kids became aware of the growing problem after overhearing her mum and another pal, also called Sarah, discussing the growing problem.
That Sarah, from Swords, had told how a neighbour had been walking her golden retriever along Castle Avenue when a van pulled up beside them.
After one of its occupants chatted with the young woman for a moment, complimenting her on her dog, another man jumped out of the van and tried to wrestle the dog, which was on a lead, from her.
Fortunately, a passerby saw the commotion and the men sped off before they could steal the dog.
There has been a spate of dog thefts across the entire country in the past few months.
