The suspects were identified as Tran Xuan Phu, 50, Nguyen The Hiep, 41, and Vo Nam Phuong, 38, all residents of Ha Tinh.
Six dogs weighing a total of 78.5 kilogrammes were recovered, along with two motorbikes and several weapons, including a homemade electric stun gun, two knives and a canister of pepper spray.
Initial investigations showed that Phu was the ringleader who planned and organised the thefts, assigned roles to the group and acted as the buyer and distributor of the stolen dogs.
Phuong drove the motorbike, ferrying the group through inter-village and inter-commune roads at night to scout for targets, while Hiep used the homemade stun gun to incapacitate the dogs before restraining them and loading them onto the vehicle under Phu’s direction.
The group had prepared weapons in advance and were ready to use them to resist residents or police if detected or chased.
All three suspects have criminal records linked to theft, handling stolen property and robbery.
Following the arrests, Ha Tinh police posted information and images on social media to help identify the owners of the six dogs, which had survived the theft.
The Ha Tinh criminal police unit urged the dogs’ owners to contact the department to verify ownership and recover their property.
The post quickly drew widespread attention online, with many users calling for tough punishment for organised livestock theft, which has sparked public anger.
