Highway police warn residents against pet theft
While no cases have been opened at police stations in the Highway area, SAPS has warned pet owners to remain vigilant.
AFTER a post went viral on social media warning residents of a spike in pet theft in KwaZulu-Natal, local police stations reported that no pet theft cases had been opened but urged residents to be cautious.
The original posts reads:
“Be aware… School children in groups are walking down streets looking for dogs to steal. Adults are using children so that people won’t be suspicious. We are not asking you to treat all children with suspicion but if a group of children do not live on your street and they are hanging around please observe! If you see them near neighbour’s homes please warn the home owners. Report all suspicious (within reason) activities to police.”
The Westville SAPS communications officer, Elizabeth Squires, said no pet theft cases were opened at the station.
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The Hillcrest communications officer, Captain Linzi Smith, noted that while no cases were opened at the Upper Highway station either, she warned that the crime trend was picking up and pet owners needed to remain vigilant.
“Dognapping is a criminal offence and amounts to theft,” said Smith.
She urged pet owners whose pets have been stolen, not just dogs, to open a case at their nearest police station.
“The most common reasons for stealing a dog/cat is to sell them, breeding purposes and perhaps claiming a reward. People don’t always check the history of their future pets, making it easier for stolen dogs to be sold on for a profit,” said Smith.
She said that while social media was a useful tool to help locate the dog, if the perpetrator is caught they cannot be charged if no case has been opened. Pinetown SAPS did not respond to questions by the time of publication.
The article will be updated when information is received.
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