A teenage girl was shocked when two men tried to snatch her dog as she walked the pet just metres from her family home.

The 14-year-old was walking the Norfolk terrier/Jack Russell cross near her home when a car pulled up near her suddenly in Fairway, Carshalton Beeches, at 6pm on Monday, February 17.

She heard the driver say 'get the dog' before the instruction was repeated by the passenger as he got out of the car.

Before the would-be dog-nappers could get their hands on the pet, the quick thinking girl grabbed it and ran back into the house.

She told her mum what had happened but by the time they could look out of the window the men and the car had gone.

PC Heath Keogh said he thinks the thieves could have wanted the animal to use as a bait dog for training fighting dogs or they may have wanted to use it as a hunting dog.

He added: "We urge all dog owners to be on the look out for such incidents. 

"Don't leave dogs in front or rear gardens or outside shops - and always report anything suspicious to police."

One of the men in the vehicle was white in his 20s and had an English accent. He wore baggy clothing, a hat and had a light-coloured patterned scarf across the lower part of his face.

The car is dark-coloured, clean and new-looking with a sloping back.

If you have any information, you can call police on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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