THURROCK residents with dogs have been advised that police have issued a warning that a gang has been operating in the region trying to take advantage of coronavirus to steal dogs.

Essex Dog Watch, a charity that helps find and return lost dogs, advises there is a scam going round where men are visiting homes that have dogs.

They are telling people that the dogs have to be removed from homes because of a quarantine.

The charity says: "Please do not hand over your dogs to anyone, it's a scam."