New figures have revealed Kent to be the worst place for XL bully thefts outside of London.

While there were no reported thefts of the breed in 2022, 37 of the dogs were stolen last year – making them the third most popular target for thieves in the UK.

The worst targeted breed is the English bulldog, with French bulldogs coming second.

English bulldog thefts have doubled from 25 in 2022 to 50 in 2023, while stolen French bulldog figures have dropped from 59 to 37.

At the end of last year, CCTV captured the moment a family’s French bulldog was stolen in Halling.

Owner Shay Hill opened her front door before being shoved out of the way by a man who grabbed the family’s pet, Luna.

Footage showed three hooded men fleeing the scene and getting into a car, with one carrying away the dog.

Thankfully, the dog was later returned to the family “anonymously by way of reward” following an appeal on Facebook which was shared nearly 3,000 times.

But figures from Direct Line Pet Insurance show there has been a drop in the number of dogs returned to their owners in the UK.

Only 16% were returned last year, in comparison to the 21% in 2022. This is the lowest the percentage has been since 2015.

In the UK 2,290 dogs went missing last year alone.

The Met Police, which covers Bexley and Bromley, has dealt with the most dog theft cases in the country with 359 last year. In 2022, there were 369 incidents.

Kent Police comes in at second place, although reported dog thefts have decreased by 22% from 177 to 138.

The sharp rise in XL bully thefts is expected to increase even further as the sale of the breed has been banned.

Under the current law there is still no specific crime for pet theft, with stolen dogs treated like other stolen property.

In September, missing Staffordshire Bull Terrier Saffi was found dumped in a river in Sidcup shortly after she went missing.

At the time, The Missing Paw Team – which helps owners of missing and stolen pets – urged people to sign a petition to parliament for a debate to make pet abduction a specific criminal offence.

Although the petition has now closed, the government responded in September saying: “Whilst the theft of pets is already a crime, we would be supportive of legislation on pet abduction when parliamentary time allows.

“We understand the devastating impact that the theft of a pet can have.

“While stealing a pet is already an offence, we have listened carefully to views expressed on pet abduction.

“That is why we would be supportive of legislating on pet abduction as a single-issue Bill in the next Parliamentary session.

“Microchipping of cats will be compulsory from June 10, 2024, in addition to dogs.

“Registration on a compliant database will also be required, as set out in the regulations.

“This is intended to increase the likelihood of reuniting stolen or lost pets with their owners/keepers.”

Diane James, Head of pet loss support at national pet charity Blue Cross, said: “Our Pet Loss Support service has been supporting pet owners for 30 years who are trying to cope with the loss of a pet, so we know only too well the devastating impact the theft of a beloved pet has on people and their families.

“To avoid becoming a victim of theft you can take some simple steps such as not letting your pet ‘advertise’ themselves in a front window or in the garden.

“Vary your dog walk routes and do not post your regular dog outing locations on social media.”