A 10-month-old black cavoodle named Dora was stolen from outside a shopping plaza in South Yarra on Monday afternoon, captured in devastating detail on centre CCTV. Frank Wong stepped inside 670 Chapel Street plaza near Malcom Street at 3.25pm to buy groceries, leaving Dora tied to a pole outside. Fifteen minutes later, she was gone.
The footage shows three women walking past the shopping centre, noticing the puppy, then returning moments later to take her. They walked off with Dora on her lead heading north along Chapel Street. Wong described watching the footage as "utterly awful".
Sergeant Ryan Gilmore from Victoria Police said the theft appeared opportunistic and that dog theft was not a known problem in the area. Yet the incident fits a pattern. Around 340 dogs per year are reported stolen in Victoria and New South Wales, and only about a quarter of dognapping cases are resolved. That means three out of four families never see their pet again.
Dog theft syndicates comprising teams may include a handler who has experience with dogs, with all it takes being a team member to distract the owner and the dog handler nabs the dog. The operation in South Yarra fits this model precisely. No violence, no drama. The thief teams appear normal. They walk in, identify a target, and execute.
Why is this happening? Domestic pet theft in Victoria skyrocketed almost 50 per cent from 2019 to 2020, coinciding with pandemic lockdowns. The price of dogs increased during the pandemic given higher demand and decreased supply, particularly of purebred and designer dogs, with dog theft said to be rising due to offenders exploiting this situation. A stolen puppy can be resold for thousands of dollars online or used for breeding.
Wong's family faces a harsh reality. His four-year-old daughter and Dora were inseparable. He bought the puppy eight months ago specifically so she would have a companion as she grew. Now Dora is gone, and the legal system offers limited comfort. In most Australian states, theft of a pet is punishable under general larceny or property theft laws, treating the loss of a family member the same as the loss of a phone or a wallet.
Sergeant Gilmore urged those with information to come forward, noting that Dora is microchipped. That microchip is now her best hope. If someone tries to register her at a vet or council, the system should flag her as stolen. Wong is offering a reward and has asked the community for help. Three women, Caucasian, in their 20s to 30s with brown hair, were seen walking north on Chapel Street with a black cavoodle on a pink lead.
For pet owners, the lesson is brutal. Don't leave your dog tied outside. Not even for fifteen minutes. Not in a "safe neighbourhood". The thieves don't care about your neighbourhood rating. They care about profit.