A dog was stolen from its owner in broad daylight while the pair were walking down a street in Merton recently.

The brazen theft happened on Cannon Hill Lane near South Merton Station on December 15, police said.

A public appeal has since been launched featuring an image of the dog — a "white/light brown" spaniel — who was taken.

In a statement released with the appeal, a spokesperson for Merton Met Police, who are investigating, described the shocking theft in further detail. 

Stolen Dog | #SHARE Police were called on Tuesday, 15 December 2020 at 10:00hrs, to a reported robbery on Cannon Hill...

Posted by Merton Police on Wednesday, 16 December 2020

"Police were called on Tuesday, 15 December 2020 at 10:00hrs, to a reported robbery on Cannon Hill Lane.

"Upon police arrival, officers found a victim who reported that his dog had been stolen.

"The victim had been approached by a male who was asking questions about his dog and was then pushed from behind by a second suspect and his dog, a white/light brown Spaniel, with darker brown ears, was stolen," the statement read.

Profiles of the two suspects were also released:

Suspect '1' was described as a white male, 5’11, black hair, wearing a black Puffa jacket, baseball cap, 25 years' old and wearing a camo face covering.

Suspect 2 was described as a white male 5’10, wearing Camo trousers, black hoodie and speaking with a London accent.

Anyone who has seen the dog or has information on its whereabouts is asked to call police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 1415109/20.