FOI 2/25 Dog Thefts in 2024
Enquiry Reference: FOI 2-25
I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request. Below is your request and our response.
- How, it at all, has the process for recording stolen dogs (under the Theft Act) to abducted dogs (under the Pet Abduction Act) changed in 2024?
- a) Nothing has changed regarding the recording of stolen dogs. If a dog is reported as stolen it will be recorded under the Theft Act.
The Pet Abduction Act 2024 deals with abduction of dogs and cats not the theft of dogs and cats and there is a very clear difference which is made clear in the Act, which is available to read online published by the Home Office.
- What were the total number of dog theft crimes in 2024 (monthly breakdown if possible)?
|
Year/Month |
Count |
|
2024 |
20 |
|
Jan |
1 |
|
Feb |
1 |
|
Mar |
1 |
|
Apr |
1 |
|
May |
1 |
|
Jun |
5 |
|
Jul |
1 |
|
Aug |
3 |
|
Sep |
3 |
|
Oct |
1 |
|
Nov |
2 |
|
Grand Total |
20 |
- What was the outcome (charge/summons, community resolution, active investigation, evidential difficulties, no suspect identified) for each dog theft crime in 2024?
|
Month/Outcome |
Count |
|
2024 |
20 |
|
Jan |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
Feb |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
Mar |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
Apr |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
May |
1 |
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
1 |
|
Jun |
5 |
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
3 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
2 |
|
Jul |
1 |
|
1: Charged |
1 |
|
Aug |
3 |
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
2 |
|
Sep |
3 |
|
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
2 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
Oct |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
Nov |
2 |
|
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
1 |
|
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
20 |
How many dogs were listed with each dog them crime in 2024?- a) No information held; we do not record this.
- If this question doesn't take us beyond the time required for free FOI feedback, can details about stolen dog breed, gender, age, and location of theft (walk, home, garden, outside shop, from car etc) also be provided for 2024 please?
- a) The below table shows the breed and the MO location description.
|
Month/Breed |
H |
M |
R&C |
S |
Total |
|
2024 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
7 |
20 |
|
Jan |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Belgian Malinois |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Feb |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Patterdale terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Mar |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
American bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Apr |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
American bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
May |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Cockerpoo |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Jun |
3 |
2 |
5 |
||
|
Bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Jack Russell Terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Cockerpoo |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Spaniel |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Jul |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
French bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Aug |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Staffordshire bull terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Sep |
1 |
2 |
3 |
||
|
Pug |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Staffordshire bull terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Oct |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Nov |
2 |
2 |
|||
|
Bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Chihuahua |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Total |
5 |
6 |
2 |
7 |
20 |
|
MO Location Description |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Total |
|
Dwelling; House; |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
2 |
9 |
|
Public/open place; Street/road; |
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
Dwelling; House; Terraced; Garden |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Commercial; Farm; Detached; Barn |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Commercial; Animal accommodation; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Dwelling; House; Terraced; Yard |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Public/open place; Footpath/bridleway; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Dwelling; House; Semi detached; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Unknown |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
Total |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
20 |
- If this question doesn't take us beyond the time required for free FOI feedback, can postcode of recorded crime and CRN be included?
- a) Have broken it down to Local police areas: H=Hartlepool, M=Middlesbrough, R&C= Redcar & Cleveland and S=Stockton.
|
Month/Breed |
H |
M |
R&C |
S |
Total |
|
2024 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
7 |
20 |
|
Jan |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Belgian Malinois |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Feb |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Patterdale terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Mar |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
American bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Apr |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
American bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
May |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Cockerpoo |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Jun |
3 |
2 |
5 |
||
|
Bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Jack Russell Terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Cockerpoo |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Spaniel |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Jul |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
French bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Aug |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Staffordshire bull terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Sep |
1 |
2 |
3 |
||
|
Pug |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Staffordshire bull terrier |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Oct |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Unknown |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Nov |
2 |
2 |
|||
|
Bulldog |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Chihuahua |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Total |
5 |
6 |
2 |
7 |
20 |
Having made enquiries within the Force above is all the information we hold. Please note that all statistical data supplied in relation to Freedom of Information requests is a snapshot of data held at the time the request was received by the Freedom of Information office and is subject to constant change/updates.
The Cleveland Police response to your request is unique and it should be noted that Police Forces do not use generic systems or identical procedures to capture and record data therefore responses from Cleveland Police should not be used as a comparison with any other force response you receive.
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice
Yours sincerely
Information Rights Decision Maker