A dog stolen from Aylesford in Kent has turned up 80 miles away in Tadley in Hampshire.

Police officers acting on a tip-off about a puppy farm went to an address in Sandy Lane and found Bella, with five puppies, inside a cage on the grass verge in front of the address.

The dachshund had been stolen from her home near Maidstone on November 9 last year.

She was one of eight dogs taken from an address in Coldharbour Lane.

She and her pups are currently being cared for in a police kennel.

Hampshire police said their inquiries were ongoing.

Nationally, the charity DogLost has seen reports of thefts rise by 170% in the last year from 172 dogs in 2019 to 465 in 2020.

Earlier this year the National Police Chief's Council warned that criminals were exploiting the huge increase in prices and demand for puppies during lockdown.

In Kent, between October 2019 and September 2020, 121 dogs were reported stolen, with just 24 returned to their owners, according to a Freedom of Information request to Kent Police.

Of these dognapping cases only 10 suspects were arrested and none were charged.

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