Dognapping alert in Brighton

A would-be dognapper tried to steal a pet in Brighton while separately another owner contacted police after her suspicions were aroused that a man might be a dog snatcher.

The first incident happened almost a fortnight ago – on Sunday 19 October – at Black Rock in Brighton when a man tried to grab a dog.

The latest incident happened on Monday morning (27 October) in Rottingdean, Sussex Police said today (Friday 31 October).

The force said: “Police are warning dog owners to be vigilant after a man was thought to be acting suspiciously in Brighton.

“On Monday between 6am and 8am, a woman was out walking her two Staffordshire bull terriers at the Beacon Hill Nature Reserve in Rottingdean.

“As she walked she was aware of a man with a Rottweiler. He arrived after the woman and got out of a white Transit type van.

“She felt suspicious of the man. Though he made no attempt to grab her dogs, he showed a lot of interest in her dogs.

“She put her dogs on a lead and when she left there were two white vans parked in the car park.

PC Stu Ellis said: “There has been one other incident at Black Rock on 19 October where some did try to grab a dog.

“However, we are unclear about the man’s intention at the nature reserve but on this occasion this man made no attempt to take the dogs.

“However, the woman did the right thing by reporting her suspicions to us.”

Anyone who has any information is asked to phone Sussex Police on 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk.