Rumours have been circulating that there has been a spate of dog thefts in the local area, particularly in the villages around Oakham.
Some stories, circulating on Facebook and by word of mouth, concern dogs which are supposed to have gone missing in the village of Somerby.
A resident told me that, "three dogs have been taken from people's gardens in broad daylight in the main street itself." Adding, "but the real hotspot is Burrough Hills car park. If you leave your car there they will break in and take your dog."
It was pointed that if people have gone there to walk they would probably not leave dogs in cars.
In an email to the Neighbourhood Alert mailing list, Constable Joe Lloyd responded to the rumours to put minds at rest:
We are aware that on social media there has been a great deal of concern around theft of dogs in the Rutland area. We can confirm that one reported theft of a dog was received by Leicestershire Police for the Rutland area last month. The dog was reunited with its owner the same day. We want to reassure dog owners and residents in Rutland that your community is a safe place to exercise your pets.
Joseph Lloyd (Police, PC, Melton & Rutland)
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