Four males ‘smash through home and steal 10-week-old puppy’
At 4am on Wednesday, it is reported that four men smashed through the windows of a home in Walkden to take a 10-week-old pup while her owners slept upstairs.
Dognappings are becoming more and more common these days and the ways in which thieves are taking dogs from their owners are becoming more brazen by the day.
So it’s no surprise to see reports of another puppy being taken from its Greater Manchester home in the early hours of the morning.
At 4am on Wednesday, it is reported that four men smashed through the windows of a home in Walkden to take a 10-week-old pup while her owners slept upstairs.
Writing on social media in the wake of the incident, Callum Borg, owner of Skyler, wrote: “4 males stormed through my front window and took her at 4am this morning, 4 local voices made off in a White 1 Series BMW.
“Reward for return of her. Please just leave her somewhere.”
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His Facebook post currently has over 1,300 shares, but there still seems to be no sign of Skyler, who appears to have become one of thousands of dogs stolen in the Greater Manchester area in recent months.
Just a few months ago, residents of Greater Manchester were told to be on high alert after dozens of reported dognapper sightings were popping up all over the region.
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Given the rise in dognapping cases in the UK in recent months, and particularly during lockdown – with the notable instances reported here in Greater Manchester and the North West region including the theft of 14 Cockapoo and Cocker Spaniel puppies from Northwich back in November of 2020, and the similar theft of a litter of Bulldog puppies from a home in Wigan last month – industry experts have been speaking on the matter and warning the public to take extra caution when walking their dogs.
A photo of the aftermath of the alleged incident posted by Callum Borg New on Facebook
Anyone with information about Skyler should contact police on 101 or alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
You can find more information about reporting a crime via the GMP website here.
We have reached out to Greater Manchester Police for comment on this particular incident.
News
Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork
Daisy Jackson
Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.
The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.
Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.
He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.
The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”
In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.
This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”
Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…
“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”
Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”
Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”
Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”
Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
The Manc -
25th August 2021 
