Data from the Metropolitan Police reveals the number of reported stolen animals in every London borough since February 2012.
From February 2012 to February 2024, a total of 450 stolen animal reports were made in Bromley, the highest of all the south east London boroughs.
Bexley ranked as the lowest south east London borough with 203 reports.
Barking & Dagenham ranked at the top with 1,344 reports and Hillingdon in west London with 686 reports.
The greatest number of animals stolen in Bromley were dogs.
Over 12 years, 161 dogs were reported stolen.
This was closely followed by birds, where a total of 158 were reported stolen.
The third were mammals that weren’t dogs or cats, were cats, with 44 reports.
42 fish, either from public waterways or fish tanks, were reported stolen.
Police officers from Bromley police even had to deal with 26 reports of stolen birds.
Of these stolen animals, only six per cent have been recovered, with just 28 of the 450 animals recovered.
158 of these animals were classified as theft and handling, meaning the stolen animals were not only taken but also involved in illegal activities, such as being sold or kept by people who knew they were stolen.
47 of them were classified as being burgled, meaning the animals were stolen when thieves unlawfully entered a building.
Seven of these were classified as robbery, meaning they were stolen forcefully.
The remaining 11 were classified as other offences, such as the illegal sale or trafficking of stolen animals.
Between February 2014 and February 2024, September 2014 stood out as the peak month for animal thefts, with a staggering 50 birds reported stolen in that month alone.
