Law enforcement officials are investigating greater than 100 reviews of fraudsters concentrating on the homeowners of lacking canine, threatening them with blackmail and violence.
Inside hours of distressed homeowners posting lacking pet appeals on-line, scammers would name them claiming to have discovered the animals.
The alleged fraudsters then demand cash for the canine to supposedly be returned safely.
This 12 months, canine thefts throughout the UK reached a seven 12 months excessive, with the equal of eight canine a day being stolen day-after-day.
Law enforcement officials are investigating greater than 100 reviews of fraudsters concentrating on the homeowners of lacking canine and threatening them with black mail and violence
The pandemic noticed a growth in folks shopping for canine, with 3.8 million folks getting a canine in the course of the pandemic, climbing the worth of our beloved pets – and making them a profitable merchandise for criminals.
Police have been investigating reviews of scammers pretending to have discovered the canine for greater than two years now – with among the criminals believed to have pocketed a whole lot of 1000’s of kilos.
Victims focused by the criminals have been left suicidal with one lady receiving a rape risk, The Instances reported.
The incidents are believed to allegedly being carried out by the identical particular person dwelling in Cumbria.
Scammers have threatened to hurt and even shoot canine if homeowners refused to pay as a scare-mongering approach.
This 12 months, canine thefts throughout the UK reached a seven 12 months excessive, with the equal of eight canine a day being stolen day-after-day
Some victims innocently paid scammers greater than £1,000 believing their canine could be retrieved.
Others knew there was a chance paying a stranger over the telephone might be a rip-off however had been determined to get their pet again dwelling.
Founding father of DogLost Jayne Hayes instructed The Instances the reviews had been more likely to be the ‘tip of the iceberg’, with volunteers on ‘suicide watch’ as older folks had been being threatened.
The charity even needed to take away proprietor’s numbers from its web site and on DogLost poster’s to forestall the scams occurring.
Cumbria Police has been criticised over its dealing with of the continuing scenario, with the scammers nonetheless working regardless of the primary report being made in February final 12 months.
These on the charity consider between as much as £200,000 may have been earned up to now two years by the alleged scammers
Wayne Could, who’s a volunteer police liaison at DogLost instructed The Instances, he raised the alarm with law enforcement officials after a lady in Manchester stated she needed to take her personal life as she couldn’t afford to pay the scammers the cash they demanded.
He stated: ‘I feel the police are massively failing, I actually do. I feel this 12 months he (the alleged felony) has stepped it up a notch. He’s now telling feminine homeowners that he desires to rape them and sexually abuse them.’
These on the charity consider between as much as £200,000 may have been earned up to now two years by the alleged scammers.
The police power instructed The Instances it was a ‘very complicated investigation’ as victims are all around the UK.
Workplaces have interviewed a number of folks and carried out ‘in depth inquiries’, arresting 12 males between 20 and 42 and three ladies between 29 and 39 all from Barrow-in-Furness.
In 2021, 2,760 canine had been snatched from their homeowners – a rise of 16 per cent since 2015
In 2021, 2,760 canine had been snatched from their homeowners – a rise of 16 per cent since 2015.
London was the worst affected space with 422 incidents reported to the Met police, adopted by West Yorkshire and Kent.
West Yorkshire Police recorded 199 reviews of stolen canine final 12 months, practically two thirds greater than in 2020. Kent Police acquired reviews about 182 stolen canine in the identical 12 months.
Norfolk Constabulary, nevertheless, had the best success at returning canine – reuniting 25 out of the 29 reported stolen with their homeowners.
Members of the general public have been warned to not ship any cash for rewards for locating pets over the telephone or on-line.
MailOnline has contacted Cumbria Police for an announcement.
