Betty, a cocker spaniel stolen from a Penn Lane barn in August, is home five weeks on. Kent Police credit the community; Nellie was found within days.

Both dogs stolen from a barn in Ide Hill last month are back with their owner, Kent Police said this afternoon. Betty, a black cocker spaniel, was the second of the pair to be found, five weeks after the theft. (Kent Police, Dog reported stolen from Sevenoaks is reunited with owner)

The force says entry was forced into an agricultural barn in Penn Lane between 8.30pm and midnight on Tuesday 11 August, and two dogs were taken. Nellie, a liver and white springer spaniel, was found safe and well on 14 August. Betty has now been located too, and the force credits the community for finding her. (Kent Police, 16 September 2026)

Timeline: barn in Penn Lane, Ide Hill broken into between 8.30pm and midnight on 11 August 2026 and two spaniels taken; Nellie found safe on 14 August; Betty located and both dogs home by 16 September
Graphic by Sevenoaks Online

The investigating officer, PC Tom Costin, said: “We are pleased that both Nellie and Betty are back home safely. Thanks to everyone who shared our appeal and to the community who located Betty; the family are thrilled to be reunited with her.”

The investigation stays open

A reunion is not a resolution, and the force is still asking for information about the break-in itself. Anyone who knows something about the theft can call the west Kent appeals line on 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/132411/26. (Kent Police, 16 September 2026)

A separate dog theft in the district also remains unsolved. A beige lurcher was stolen from a kennel on farmland in Rye Lane, Dunton Green on 31 August, and the appeal in that case, reference 46/146107/26, is still live. In that appeal the force said it was not ruling out links between similar incidents in the Sevenoaks area.

What police advise dog owners

Superintendent Elena Hall used the reunion to set out how owners can protect their pets. Her advice, in the force’s statement:

  • make sure your dog is microchipped
  • use security measures such as CCTV and outdoor lighting
  • do not leave dogs unattended outside
  • report thefts immediately, and report any suspicious activity around kennels or fields

“For many people, pets are much-loved members of the family, which is why animal theft can be so distressing,” she said. “We take all reports seriously and will carry out a thorough investigation, with the aim of reuniting animals with their owners wherever possible.” (Kent Police, 16 September 2026)

For how reported crime in the town has been trending month by month, see our Sevenoaks crime data page.

Sources

Image: Ide Hill Village Green by Bods, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.