Puppies stolen during violent raid on a Hulme house

August 23, 2012, 8:54 am

Police have issued images of two puppies that were stolen during a violent raid on a house in Hulme.

Shortly after 1.15am on Tuesday 21 August 2012, a 36-year-old woman was asleep on the couch in the living room of her house on St Georges Avenue, with her bull mastiff puppies asleep at her feet.

She suddenly awoke to be confronted by men who were attempting to cover her with some kind of bed sheet.

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As she struggled she was kicked and punched in the face and body and told she would be killed if she didnt shut up.

She managed to free herself, by which time she looked up to see three men leave via the back door, which had previously been left unlocked.

She ran after them, onto Brotherton Close, and looked up to see one of the men passing one of her dogs over a wall to an accomplice.

The victim eventually lost sight of the robbers as they slipped into nearby Barrack Park. By that time she released they had stolen two of her puppies.

One of the puppies is called Silver, after the unusual colour of his coat. He has a little dot of black on his ear and little black and brown marks on his belly and groin.  He has hazel blue coloured eyes and is worth about £700.

The other puppy, Buster, is a red bullmastiff and is very big for his age, weighing more than nine kilogrammes. He has a squashed face with brown and black freckles on his belly and groin.  He has light blue eyes and is worth about £500.

They are both eight and a half weeks old.

Detective Constable Ian McNabb, of the Longsight Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Both Silver and Buster were beloved pets and the victim is beside herself with worry about them.

“She has had them since they were born and has already formed a strong bond with them so this is an ordeal that is deeply upsetting for her.

“This is why we have today issued good clear images of both puppies in an effort to help find them. They are both distinctive, particularly Silver. As his name suggests he has an unusual colouring for this breed of dog. Indeed, a vet apparently told the owner that they had never seen one that colour before.

“The fact remains that these animals were no doubt stolen because they are of good pedigree and they could be well sold on.

“I now want anyone who is offered bullmastiff pups in suspicious circumstances to contact us.

“They were snatched away from their rightful owner in violent circumstances and their natural home is with her.  I would also appeal to any vets or the professionals in the animal welfare business to keep an eye out for Buster and Silver and to contact us with any information.”

Anyone with information is asked to call South Manchester CID on 0161 856 4146 or independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.