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Ryan Jowett is desperate for his new business, in which he uses his white van to get between villages “asking for scrap”, to thrive so he can support his girlfriend and unborn baby. However, he told Hull Live people are repeatedly mistaking his van for one connected with crime. 

I’m getting harassed on Facebook by people. I’m trying to start my own business and people are constantly reporting me to the police for asking about peoples dogs but I’m not

Ryan Jowett

There is a prolific dog-napper on the loose in East Yorkshire, police say, and Ryan claims strangers keep reporting him to police as the crook.

“I’m getting harassed on Facebook by people. I’m trying to start my own business and people are constantly reporting me to the police for asking about people’s dogs but I’m not,” he said.

“I have many more witnesses. I’m trying to make a living for me my girlfriend and my unborn baby. I’ve just left a ground workers job to start my own business at the moment.

“I’ve been asking for scrap. I was a ground worker but came out of it to be a business and I need to find a way to keep my business falling into a shambles before it’s even started properly.”

Humberside Police had advised owners to be “wary of strangers” showing interest in their canine counterparts, while also telling them to not leave them alone in their own garden.

Reports have circulated around East Yorkshire with multiple suggestions of men or a man in white vans or Transit vans approaching dog owners and, in one case, asking the owner how much it would cost to buy her dog.

Several reports were made to police last Wednesday about a white Transit van driver stopping people in the street and asking them about their pets. No attempts were made to steal the animals but it raised concern among walkers.

However, Ryan says the incidents are not connected to him or his business.

He says his partner is currently the person driving his van while he travels in the passenger seat as he is waiting to take a test.

“I’m starting to worry about my business growing into a massive business and taking off. I have high hopes for my business to get up and going. I’m on my own at the moment and my partner drives my van. Because of coronavirus, my licence keeps getting pushed back and pushed back.

“I’m going to do house removals and window cleaning and all odd jobs and jet wash patios in summer.”

In a statement issued last week, a spokeswoman for the force said: “Yesterday we received three reports that a white Transit van was driving in the Hornsea area of the East Riding and stopped a number of people to ask them about the dogs they were walking.

“No one was harmed during these incidents and no dogs were attempted to be taken but it naturally concerned the people involved and we are pleased that they reported it to us.

“These reports are taken extremely seriously and the information provided has already been acted upon to locate those in the vehicle.

“We are aware of the fear of dog owners following numerous social media posts about this type of event and would ask residents to report any similar incident to us.”

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