Following the national media interest in a story on markings outside houses allegedly targeted for theft in Darlington, Durham Constabulary have issued the following statement:
Darlington Neighbourhood Inspector Mick Button said: “While there haven’t been any thefts of dogs in the Darlington area that have been confirmed as linked to unusual markings on property, we are aware that messages about this topic do circulate on social media from time to time.
“Because we know that the theft of pets is an ongoing concern to local people, we issued a warning via our neighbourhood facebook page to encourage vigilance within the community. It was also posted on the page to remind residents to report any suspicious activity so that we are able to monitor trends.”
The story, which originated in Australia some years ago, regularly appears on social media in different parts of the country.
Said DogLost’s PR Adviser, Nik Oakley “This myth causes unnecessary alarm to dog owners and we were glad to be able to work with Durham Police to correct it.”
Despite the lack of truth in the story, DogLost reminds all dog owners to be vigilant against dog theft.
