Gardai investigate dog theft in Cork city

Monday, 12 April 2021 10:29

Gardaí have launched an investigation after a man was attacked with a hammer and had his dog stolen in the city.

Denis McCarthy was out walking his French Bulldog Rocco on Ballincollie Road in Ballyvolane yesterday at around 4pm when a man jumped out of a car and stole his dog.

Denis reported the incident to Gardaí and Rocco was later recovered and returned to his owner by officers at around 11:30pm.

Gardaí say no arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.

Speaking on the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork's RedFM, Denis McCarthy outlines what happened yesterday.

"I went out for a walk with Rocco yesterday at about 4 o'clock. We go the same route every day, up past Murphy's Rock pub, up towards the Black Man pub, up that lane.

"We just came to the start of the lane, a white Ford Focus drove past me, I didn't pay too much attention to it, it didn't seem suspicious.

"The car though turned around in the lane and drove past me. A man jumped out with a facemask on and a hood up with a hammer, he said 'give me that dog'.

"He tried to hit me a couple of times with the hammer, I was ducking trying to avoid it.

"He just grabbed the dog, got into the car and sped away."