This is the moment callous thieves stole two £450 kennels destined for animal charities in Cyprus.
The CCTV was captured on Easter Monday afternoon at the Take Away the Tears animal charity’s premises on the North Tyne Industrial Estate in Benton. A white VW Caddy van with a front spoiler can be clearly seen pulling up to where the two kennels were hidden from public view by a shipping container in the first of two trips the thieves made between 12.30pm and 1.15pm on April 18.
Whilst the driver stays behind the wheel, another man with possibly blonde hair and thought to be aged between 25 and 35, can be seen manhandling a kennel into the back of the van before the pair leave. The distinctive van, which may possibly have a lowered suspension, returned within 30 minutes to pick up the second kennel, leading the charity’s co-founder, Sue Nuttall, to suggest the thieves could be local.
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But despite having CCTV footage of the thefts, no-one has as yet been able to identify the number plate of the vehicle. Now Sue has made an appeal for any computer whizzes who may be able to enhance the footage to get in touch so the thieves can be caught and the kennels hopefully returned.
She also hopes that news about the thefts will spread far and wide. A visibly angry Sue said: “We want to make these kennels too hot to handle so at least the people that stole them can’t profit from them.”
The second-hand kennels had been bought by the North Tyneside -based charity to donate to two animal rescue organisations in Cyprus to help them safely transport dogs in their care.
They had been delivered to the charity’s warehouse on the North Tyne Industrial Estate at around 3.30pm on Easter Sunday and were part of a larger shipment of donations bound for Cyprus for distribution to 40 different rescuers on the Mediterranean island.
The grey fibre glass kennels – one of which can house two large dogs and is double sectioned, and the other three and is triple divided - were marked for delivery to Rescue and Rehome Cyprus and SPDC in the capital Nicosia. They also carried Take Away the Tears’ logo as well as a label saying ‘donated, not for resale.’
Sue has asked anyone who might have been offered the kennels to get in touch with either Take Away the Tears or the police. She said: “They are no use to anyone except as kennels, probably to put in a van. They have cost the charity money and were bought to support two rescues in Cyprus that deal with large dogs.
“We are devastated that they now won’t be delivered as expected. They were marked up ready for loading, so these people knew they were stealing from a charity. They are the scum of the earth.
“We know the vehicle, we know exactly what it is, and we know exactly what time the thefts occurred. It’s all on CCTV and you can see the kennels being stolen. What we don’t have unfortunately is the registration number.
“We also know that whoever has taken them is within a 15 minute radius of the warehouse as the van they used wasn’t big enough to take both kennels so they drove in, loaded it up, drove away and came back again within 30 minutes. It means that wherever they dropped them off is within a quarter of an hour.
“I’m mortified as these kennels were going to charities in Cyprus. They were both very grateful for the proposed donation and I was shocked and angry when we went to move them and discovered they had both been stolen.
“I’m devastated that we can no longer fulfil our promise to the rescuers who so desperately need them and that we now have nothing to show for the £450 we spent.
“It’s a very sad world where someone steals under these circumstances.”
A container of other donations, including over 100 animal crates, 150 plastic beds, 91 boxes and 166 bags filled with everything from leads to collars, toys and bedding, 180kg of cat litter and 50 bits of carpet and rubber-backed matting, was sent on its way to Cyprus as planned last week – but without the kennels.
Northumbria Police has confirmed it is investigating. A spokesperson said: “We are investigating the theft of two dog kennels from a premises on Bellingham Drive, Benton, between 12.30pm and 1.15pm on April 18. Enquiries are ongoing to identify those responsible.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of their website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 046696X/22.
