Key Points
- North Wales Police are looking for a dog walker who possibly disrupted two balaclava-masked men attempting a burglary at Porthmadog, Gwynedd.
- This attempted burglary took place around 4 pm on Saturday, October 31, at the holiday cottage Cysgod y Coed.
- According to reports, two men were said to have been wearing balaclavas and traveling in a BMW 340.
- North Wales Police want to talk to the dog walker as he might have seen or interrupted the act.
- In another burglary incident, an intrusion took place around 5.25 pm on the same day in Morfa Bychan, which had been gained access through smashing of the window.
- North Wales Police has mentioned that it is still unsure about any link between these two cases.
- Police are urging anyone having information regarding suspicious behavior around Bryn Parc area to call North Wales Police at 101.
Wales Police (Wales Times) November 3, 2026 — They are trying to identify a dog walker who may have disturbed two men wearing balaclavas during an attempted burglary at a holiday cottage in Porthmadog. The force believes the walker could hold information relevant to its investigation.
As reported by the North Wales Chronicle, the attempted burglary occurred at about 4pm on October 31 at Cysgod y Coed, a holiday cottage in the town. Police said the two men were wearing balaclavas and travelling in a BMW 340 at the time.
The force has not named any suspects and has not confirmed whether anyone was injured or whether property was taken during the attempted break-in. It has instead issued an appeal for witnesses, with particular interest in the dog walker who may have been in the area when the incident unfolded.
A spokesperson for North uk/police/">Wales Police said:
“Police are keen to speak to the dog walker.”
Why do police want the dog walker?
Police want to speak to the dog walker because the person may have disturbed the two men during the attempted burglary. Investigators have not publicly said what the walker saw, but their appeal suggests the witness may be able to provide a description, direction of travel, timing or other details that could assist the inquiry.
The appeal focuses on the Bryn Parc area of Porthmadog. Police have asked anyone who noticed suspicious activity there to come forward, whether or not they believe they saw the incident directly.
North Wales Police have asked witnesses to call 101 and quote reference 26000893648.
Was there a second burglary?
Yes. A second burglary was reported in Morfa Bychan at 5.25pm on the same day, according to the North Wales Chronicle. Police said entry was gained by breaking a window.
The two locations are separate, but their timing has led officers to consider whether the incidents may be connected. A North Wales Police spokesperson said: “Police are keeping an open mind as to the likelihood of the two incidents being linked.”
No further details about the Morfa Bychan burglary, including the exact address, items stolen or whether anyone has been arrested, were included in the published appeal.
What do police know about the vehicle?
Police have said the two men were travelling in a BMW 340. The vehicle details form part of the public appeal, although the force has not released a registration number, colour or further identifying information in the material reported by the North Wales Chronicle.
The balaclavas and the use of a vehicle are central details in the police account of the attempted burglary. Officers have not said whether the BMW was seen before or after the incident, nor have they disclosed any CCTV or forensic developments.
What has North Wales Police said?
The force’s public statements, as reported by the North Wales Chronicle, have been limited to the appeal for information and its position on a possible link between the two incidents.
A spokesperson for North Wales Police said:
“Police are keeping an open mind as to the likelihood of the two incidents being linked.”
The same report stated that police are “keen to speak to the dog walker”, making that witness the principal named line of inquiry in the appeal.
How can witnesses help?
Anyone with information is asked to contact North Wales Police on 101, quoting reference 26000893648. The force specifically wants to hear from people who saw suspicious activity in the Bryn Parc area.
Potential witnesses may be able to help by providing:
- The time and location of anything unusual they saw.
- A description of people or vehicles in the area.
- The direction in which a vehicle travelled.
- Any footage from doorbell cameras, mobile phones or other devices.
- Information about the dog walker or anyone else who may have been nearby.
Background of the development
Cysgod y Coed is described in the police appeal as a holiday cottage in Porthmadog, a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The attempted burglary was reported to have happened in the afternoon of October 31, with the later Morfa Bychan burglary reported just over an hour afterwards.
North Wales Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales, including Gwynedd. Its public guidance directs non-emergency witnesses and callers to use the 101 service, while its website provides local neighbourhood policing information for the Porthmadog and Tremadog area.
The police appeal does not state that the two incidents have been confirmed as linked. Instead, the force has said it is keeping an open mind, reflecting the fact that the alleged attempted burglary and the later reported burglary occurred on the same afternoon but at separate locations.
Prediction: how this may affect local residents
For residents, holiday-home owners and visitors in Porthmadog and Morfa Bychan, the development is likely to increase attention on security and reporting suspicious activity in the short term. Police have already asked the public to contact them about unusual behaviour in Bryn Parc, which may encourage more residents to review doorbell or CCTV footage and report relevant information.
If further witnesses come forward, the dog walker could help officers establish a clearer timeline, identify the BMW 340 or describe the two men. That could determine whether the attempted burglary and the Morfa Bychan break-in are treated as connected.
For the local community, the immediate practical effect is likely to be greater police interest in witness accounts and vehicle movements around the relevant areas. The appeal does not indicate an ongoing risk to the public, and residents should rely on official North Wales Police updates rather than speculation about the relationship between the two incidents.
