MP Lucy Frazer met police and local councillors to look at ways of tackling dog thefts.

The SE Cambs MP said the meeting happened after constituents had been in touch about recent dog thefts, specifically in Fordham and the surrounding area.

She met virtually with councillors Julia Huffer and Joshua Schumann together with Chris O’Brien and Dan Quigley from Cambridgeshire Police.

“We specifically discussed the legislation and the placement of dog theft in terms of sentencing,” she said

“Both Chris and Dan emphasised the importance of reporting any attempted or actual dog thefts as it adds to their intelligence efforts.

“During lockdown, our area experienced a higher demand for dogs, with prices for them increasing.”

Ms Frazer said that since the end of lockdown and a publicity campaign to raise awareness of this crime, dog thefts have decreased, but many thefts are not being reported.

She urged anyone who has experienced a dog theft or believes one may be likely should call 101 to report the incident to the police.

The MP highlighted precautions to deter dog thefts such as keeping an ID tag on your pet, microchipping measures, securing gates, and installing an alarm.

If you still are concerned about dog theft, she urged people to email her on lucy.frazer.mp@parliament.uk