Stolen Dogs Taken to Flea Markets

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Du Quoin Assistant Chief of Police Jamie Ellermeyer said Wednesday the theft of small terriers from residents' yards--particularly Yorkies--has been an intermittent problem this summer and residents are cautioned about leaving their small dogs unattended in the yard.

Ellermeyer said his department had received three or four reports of dogs stolen rom the East Olive Street area.

One resident told police that he had heard of a stolen dog ring operating in Franklin and Perry counties that was stealing dogs, then taking them to a Southeast Missouri flea market for sale.

Ellermeyer said the man narrowed his investigation to one flea market location, drove there and found his dog. Ellermeyer said the problem is not chronic, but it does exist. If you have any information you can pass along to police that would be helpful, please call 542-2131.