Dog thefts: Police checking to see if dogs found in cages at Darnall allotment in Sheffield were ever stolen

A kennel of dogs seized by police in Sheffield are now being checked to see if any of them were ever stolen.
Alastair Ulke
By Alastair Ulke
Published 2nd Dec 2021, 17:04 BST
Updated 2nd Dec 2021, 17:04 BST
The raid was carried out as part of Operation Duxford, a day of targeted police action to tackle criminality in Sheffield.The raid was carried out as part of Operation Duxford, a day of targeted police action to tackle criminality in Sheffield.
The raid was carried out as part of Operation Duxford, a day of targeted police action to tackle criminality in Sheffield.

12 dogs were recovered from cages at an allotment in Darnall on Wednesday, December 1, following a raid by South Yorkshire Police.

The joint operation with the RSPCA under the Dangerous Dogs Act seized the animals due to concerns about the conditions they were kept in.

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Now, all 12 dogs are being checked to ascertain if any of them have previously been registered as stolen, and to see if they have tags which may help identify whether they have a registered previous owner.

The dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act out of concern for their environment.The dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act out of concern for their environment.
The dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act out of concern for their environment.

All the dogs are in the care of the RSPCA to either reunite them with potential owners or to find re-homing opportunities.

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The seizure comes after Sheffield was named as a ‘hotspot’ for dog thefts in August this year.

The UK saw a spike in dog thefts over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, reportedly due to an increased demand for pets that criminals tried to exploit.

The 12 dogs recovered are now being checked to see if any of them have previously been registered as stolen.The 12 dogs recovered are now being checked to see if any of them have previously been registered as stolen.
The 12 dogs recovered are now being checked to see if any of them have previously been registered as stolen.
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The day of police action yesterday – known as Operation Duxford – saw more than 370 officers work to disrupt criminality across the Sheffield area.

Teams from across the city made arrests for various crimes including domestic abuse, drug supply, possessing indecent images, blackmail, robbery and burglary.

A total of 33 arrests were made. Police also seized five vehicles, conducted 11 house and vehicle searches, and issued 23 traffic offence reports.

Sixteen warrants were executed, leading to 11 arrests, 500 cannabis plants and Class A and B drugs with a street value of £8,000 were seized, and approximately £14,000 in cash was recovered.

A raid was carried out on an allotment in Darnall yesterday where 12 dogs were recovered and taken into the care of the RSPCA.A raid was carried out on an allotment in Darnall yesterday where 12 dogs were recovered and taken into the care of the RSPCA.
A raid was carried out on an allotment in Darnall yesterday where 12 dogs were recovered and taken into the care of the RSPCA.
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The district commander for Sheffield, Chief Superintendent Shelley Hemsley, said: "Operation Duxford is about shining a spotlight on the sort of policing activity we carry out every day.

“It’s about showing law-abiding citizens that we take their concerns seriously and listen to what is happening in their neighbourhood.

“At the same time we are making a point to those still intent on causing harm in the communities we serve – we will not tolerate their criminal activities and allow them to be a blight on the city.”

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