DOG thefts in Manchester are “uncommon,” say Greater Manchester Police in a new statement.

The force does not believe there has been a “significant increase” in thefts in the area over the past year, only an increase in dog stealing social media posts.

The statement reads: "The force is keen to reassure people that dog thefts are uncommon in Greater Manchester and to stress that all reports and information received around the subject are taken seriously.

"While we have had reports of some dog thefts, we don’t believe there has been a significant increase over the past year, which is in line with other forces. There is however an increase in social media activity around dog thefts which is causing communities to become concerned."

Opal (National Intelligence Unit for Serious Organised Acquisitive Crime) reported that: "The profile of dog theft has been significantly raised via various platforms including news outlets and social media however research suggests that that the volume of offences has remain relatively stable.

"A survey found that 94 per cent of respondents had seen reports of dog theft on social media but only 0.34 per cent had a dog stolen over the past 12 months."

In February, The National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for acquisitive crime, deputy chief constable Amanda Blakeman, however said that whilst the dog theft “it is still a very rare crime, it’s sadly something we have seen increasing recently”.

DogLost saw reports of dog thefts rise during the pandemic by 170 per cent. In 2019, 172 dogs were reported stolen rising to 465 in 2020, according to the charity.

In GMP’s recent statement superintendent Ben Ewart called dog theft an “emotive subject.”

He added: "I would like to encourage anyone with any information, whether that is seeing some suspicious activity relating to dogs or attempted thefts, to report it to us either by calling 101 or reporting it online at gmp.police.uk. The information passed to us is looked into and taken seriously."

A spokesperson from Dogs Trust Manchester, said: “Given the high demand for dogs in recent months and the increase in prices, it is only natural to be worried."

The charity have urged dog owners to keep their gardens and homes secure and to not leave their dog unattended or alone in a car.

Owners have also been called on to make sure dogs are trained to come back to them and are microchipped.

Walks should also be taken in well-lit areas and routes altered.

For further advice and information visit the GMP website.