Appeal for stolen pedigree pups

The owners of three pedigree poodle puppies are appealing for help after they were stolen from a garden.

The six-month-old puppies - two white, one black - are worth £1,800, according to Thames Valley Police.

They were taken from the back garden of a house in Basingstoke Road, Reading, Berkshire, on 5 March.

Dog thefts are on the increase, particularly in the South of England, according to the charity Dog Lost UK, which aims to reunite pets and owners.

A worker at the charity said: "In some cases, drug users may steal dogs to make some money in the pub.

"Opportunist thieves may strike if a dog has been left tied up outside a shop or other public place."