Blind man beaten by bat-wielding thugs who then steal puppy worth £6,500

Mohammed Atta, 24, has told how his dog was stolen as he took her for a walk in Bradford. The visually impaired man was beaten in the legs with a “baseball bat” before his pet was taken

A car-full of thugs beat a blind man in the legs with a “baseball bat” as he walked his puppy who then stole the dog worth £6,500 leaving him devastated, it is claimed.

Mohammed Atta, 24, was ambushed by the car “full of lads” while he was walking his dog, Precious, with a friend in Bradford, last Monday.

He thinks his attackers targeted him as they knew that he was visually impaired.

Mr Atta said that he was left with painful bruises after a vehicle pulled up with a gang jumping out and they started to “smack” him in the legs.

They then threatened his friend who was holding the 14-week-old American Bully with a knife before dragging the dog from them and driving off.

Mohammed says he is desperate to get his pet back having only had her since last Friday and he was upset to hear her “yelping” when she was stolen.

He said: “They knew I was blind. They knew that’s my dog. While they robbed me, they stayed quiet. They must have realized I might have recognized their voices if they spoke.”

He added: “My whole life and my world revolve around my dogs. I’m devastated. I can’t sleep, my mind is not at rest.”

Mohammed, who is visually impaired and has a separate guide dog, Kassie, was taking Precious for one of her first walks with him when he was attacked.

He said: “My friend came out to walk the puppy with me, and we were going up the street, and a car full of lads pulled up.

“One just came at me with a baseball bat while my friend was holding the puppy. He then started smacking me in the leg with it. The other attackers then walked round and showed my friend a knife.”

Mohammed said it was only his friend’s shouts that made him realise the dog was being stolen.

He said: “I was very scared when the attack was happening, but then my friend shouted, ‘they have got the puppy!’ I then heard her yelps.

“Then the lad smacked me one more time with the baseball bat, and they ran around and got back into their car and escaped with the puppy.

“It’s hurting that my dog is not here by my side. This was my own dog, and I just got her on Friday. I’ll do anything to get my baby girl home. I’m worried sick. I just can’t believe this has happened to me.”

He added: “Please, whoever has her just bring her home safe to me”.

The puppy is not microchipped as the appointment was booked for Wednesday this week.

The shocking thefts come as new figures reveal dog thefts in the UK have reached a seven-year high, with the equivalent of eight dogs being stolen each day.

Last year 2,760 dogs were snatched from their owners, and the number of heart-breaking thefts has risen 16% since 2015, according to new data.

West Yorkshire Police, which had the second highest number of theft, recorded 199.

The force said in a statement: “Police are investigating a robbery which happened on Springfield Avenue, Bradford.

“Officers were called at 21.59 to reports a man had been attacked while he was out walking his dog. The suspects stole his puppy. It’s believed the suspects left the scene in a Black Audi.”