A dog has reportedly been stolen in Stevenage by a group of five men, who then punched the owner.

The incident occurred at around 6.15pm on Monday, May 15, with Herts police initially saying that the dog - named Marmite - was reportedly stolen from a garden in Broadwater Crescent by five men.

In a later update, a police spokesperson said that "it is believed from new information that the dog initially escaped from the garden in the first instance".

When the owner went to search for Marmite, he found his dog with the group of men at Roebuck shops. Marmite was being held by a man who is described as being 6ft 7in tall. The men threatened the dog's owner with physical violence and one of them punched him.

Police officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary are investigating the incident.

The dog is called Marmite but answers to Marnie, and is a black-and-gold-coloured Staffordshire breed with a large build.

The Comet: Marmite's owner was reportedly punched during the incident.Marmite's owner was reportedly punched during the incident. (Image: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

In an update at around 4pm on Thursday, May 18, a spokesperson for Herts Police said: "Missing Marmite the dog has now been located safe and well, after going missing from a garden in Broadwater Crescent on Monday evening.

"The circumstances surrounding how the dog was allegedly in the possession of a group of men by the Roebuck shops and the alleged assault, are still being investigated, but it is believed from new information, that the dog initially escaped from the garden in the first instance."

Police Constable Bridie Compton, investigating, said: “This is an incident where a dog has been unlawfully taken from its habitat with violence taking place as part of it.

“We are particularly interested in speaking to the man who was holding the dog.

"He is described as 6ft 7in tall, aged in his 20’s with short dreadlocks and is blind in his left eye. It is believed that he regularly shops at the Roebuck shops.”

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Anybody with information is asked to contact PC Compton via email at bridie.compton@herts.police.uk.

Information can also be reported online at herts.police.uk/report, via online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact, or by calling the non-emergency number 101 and quoting crime reference 41/39274/23.

Anonymous information can be given by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.