Dognapper alert as cavapoo Molly is nearly snatched by hooded man in Thurso
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A Scrabster mum wants to make local dog owners aware of crooks operating in the area trying to snatch their pets after a frightening incident this week.
Sarah Simpson, who lives with her family in Scrabster, said that her daughter Aimee (17) was walking cavapoo Molly at Victoria Walk on Tuesday afternoon when a young man approached her.
"It was around 4pm and she said that it was probably someone about her age but it was difficult to see his face as he had his hood up and he was quite obscured," said Sarah.
"She just walked past him and she said he did look a bit suspicious with the dark clothing, hood up and hair over his face on a sunny day. About 30 seconds later she heard Molly bark, turned round and the guy was holding Molly by the harness and walking her in the opposite direction."
Sarah admitted that the dog was off the lead at the time but that many people walk their dogs free in at that area, which is far enough away from any roads, and it seemed unlikely anything untoward could happen at this time of day. She though it unlikely that it could be one of Aimee's friends playing a practical joke. "None of her friends would do something like that anyway," she added.
"As soon as Molly barked and Aimee turned round, she went straight up and put the lead on her and tackled him, saying 'What do you think you're doing?' and the guy went 'Oh oh, I'm really sorry' and then just walked off.
"It makes me wonder if it was anything sinister or maybe someone with mental health issues? It was just so strange and I find the whole thing bizarre."
Sarah said that Aimee did not notice anything unusual about the young man's accent and he may have been a local. The incident happened after the three-year-old cavapoo had been taken along Thurso beach and was being walked back home. They had exited the beach via the steps leading up to Victoria Walk, which has railings along it, and just before the park. "There's a little curved bit there which makes it quite concealed."
Sarah said her daughter "got a fright" and phoned her straight away but was not overly upset. "She was just relieved that Molly had barked and that she got the dog. She was more just stunned that this had happened up here."
The Scrabster mum said she was worried for other dog owners and wanted to spread awareness of the issue. She wrote on Facebook with details of the incident just after it happened and the post was shared over 500 times in just two days with one local woman commenting she had a similar experience on the same day at Thurso beach when a man "taking selfies" got too close to her dogs and children. "He made me feel uneasy with how closely he passed them. I wasn’t too far from the steps at that point and I felt glad to get off the beach," she wrote.
Sarah said that other dogs may not react like Molly and bark to alert the owner. "Some dogs might be quite happy to go with a stranger and that is a real worry. Cavapoos are especially popular at the moment."
Dognapping is a crime in which someone will steal your dog and sell it on for profit. Dog breeds can command a large amount of money, making them an attractive target for thieves looking to cash in.
She says she is unclear if it was actually a dognapping incident as the young man's response to Aimee was "really odd" and "very apologetic". Sarah thought it was possible he was high on drugs or suffering from a mental health issue. "If Molly hadn't barked what would he have done with her? I know others who have said 'my dog would have just gone and wouldn't have barked'. I think it's really important to let people know. We are lucky that Molly is nervous around strangers and will always alert us if she is anxious.
"It's lucky for him I wasn't there as I'd have marched him straight to the police station and wouldn't have let him away with it."
Police say that dog theft is on the rise and there is big money in the resale of our beloved pets. Criminals will often know who to target. They might have seen you out walking your dog, spotted it through your window and noticed it outside in your garden. They may even have seen a picture of it on your social media accounts, and know where to come to find it.
Did you see a young man acting suspiciously in the area on Tuesday afternoon wearing a dark hoodie, dark jogging bottoms and with brown long hair? Send an email with information to david.scott@hnmedia.co.uk or a private message to the paper's Facebook page.
