POLICE have arrested three men in connection with recent dog thefts in Hampshire.

Three working dogs were stolen from external kennels during burglaries in Bullington and Owslebury on Sunday, December 30 and Monday, December 31.

The arrests followed a report of a suspicious vehicle entering a farmyard in the South Warnborough area in the early hours of Thursday, January 10.

Officers stopped a green Subaru Forester on the A339 travelling towards Alton at 4.50am.

A 20-year-old man from Chobham in Surrey, a 24-year-old man from West Moseley in Surrey and a 21-year-old man from Yateley were arrested on suspicion of going equipped to commit theft and the theft of dogs in December. They have been bailed pending further enquiries until Thursday, March 14.

Anyone with information about the theft of dogs should contact the Winchester Rural North Safer Neighbourhoods team on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.