West Yorkshire police
The West Yorkshire Police force's 'Team 4' dog and its handler were subjected to the attack when they were on their night duty - Representational image steve parkin/AFP/Getty Images

An unmarked police dog team vehicle in West Yorkshire, England was brazenly attacked with crowbars and hammers on Saturday, 9 December, while the police dog and his handler were inside the car.

West Yorkshire Police have released images of the attack and are investigating the incident. The suspects are yet to be apprehended and their details have not been released.

The windscreen of the car was smashed to pieces and its windows were also shattered, making the car undriveable. Fortunately, the dog and its handler were both uninjured in the attack.

The force's 'Team 4' canine and the handler were subjected to the assault when they were on their night duty, the Yorkshire Evening Post reported.

The West Yorkshire Police Dogs team made details about the incident public on Saturday evening after posting pictures of the damaged vehicle on their Twitter page. The police unit received a lot of support not just from the general public but from other police officers too.

Assistant Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Police, Andy Battle, in a reply to the Twitter post said, "This is disgraceful and a clear demonstration of the risks our officers face in their attempts to keep our communities safe. Nothing justifies this. Now time to focus on bringing the offenders to justice."

It is not yet known as to where the attack took place and enquiries are still ongoing.

In a relatively similar incident earlier on 12 November, two patrol vehicles were damaged during the Remembrance parade when officers, along with members of the community, were taking part in an event at Brookvale Park in Erdington.

West Midlands Police said that the suspects "took the opportunity" to smash the windows of the cars. Chief Superintendent of Birmingham East Police, Kenny Bell, said, "It is absolutely disgusting how these individuals took advantage of a time when my officers were marching shoulder-to-shoulder with members of the community during Remembrance parades."

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