inisters are engaged on a cross-government method to tackling the “vile crime” of pet theft.
Residence Secretary Priti Patel has held talks with Cupboard colleagues to debate find out how to handle the problem, with officers acknowledging the “nice misery” brought on by the lack of a household pet.
However she confronted accusations of not taking the issue critically sufficient, two months after vowing to “go after” these answerable for the theft of canine and different animals.
Ms Patel has mentioned the problem with Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland and Surroundings Secretary George Eustice.
Dropping a much-loved household pet may cause nice misery and it’s a tragic incontrovertible fact that criminals will search to revenue by this vile crime
Officers and junior ministers have additionally carried out work on the problem, with subsequent steps as a consequence of be introduced “sooner or later”.
Stealing a pet is already an offence beneath the Theft Act, with a most jail time period of seven years, and Sentencing Council tips imply that emotional misery is considered when punishments are determined.
However ministers have been beneath strain to introduce a brand new particular offence of stealing much-loved pet canine.
A Authorities spokesman stated: “Final month, the Residence Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Surroundings, Meals and Rural Affairs met to debate a cross-government method to combating this situation and we’ll announce subsequent steps sooner or later.
“This builds upon the large quantities of labor already undertaken by junior ministers and officers.
“Dropping a much-loved household pet may cause nice misery and it’s a tragic incontrovertible fact that criminals will search to revenue by this vile crime.”
However Liberal Democrat atmosphere spokesman Tim Farron questioned the Authorities’s dedication after a Freedom of Info (FOI) Act request revealed that the Residence Workplace had no data on conferences in regards to the situation involving Ms Patel from October 2020 to mid-March.
He stated: “It’s very regarding that the Residence Secretary may not be treating this rising drawback with the seriousness that it deserves.
“Canine theft needs to be a particular crime, and handled with way more gravity, provided that our pets are a part of our households.
“I’d need the Residence Secretary to point out that she understands that and to provide us some hope that she is going to take the motion that canine house owners are demanding.”
In February, Ms Patel stopped wanting committing to more durable new legal guidelines however stated the Residence Workplace is “positively trying into what sort of measures could be put in place when it comes to the criminality” and “what we would be capable of do in legal guidelines to utterly go after these people which might be stealing pets and being profitable out of this”.
She stated: “That is completely stunning, it’s a stunning crime that’s going down”, including that she understands that in London “it’s very prevalent proper now”.
She advised LBC Radio: “I’m this, I’m completely what we will do.”
