A veteran BBC journalist's pet collie was rescued on Friday night after thieves stole a dogwalker's van carrying the animal and five others.

       Rory Cellan-Jones's dog, Cabbage, was with its regular dogwalker near the 200-acre nature reserve of Wormwood Scrubs in White City when the criminals struck.

       The dogwalker, Brett Holte-Smith, 45, from South Africa, had pulled up to knock on his sister-in-law's door to see if she could help him walk the dogs, leaving the engine running.

       But in the time it took him to get from the van to the front door, thieves had leapt into the vehicle and driven it away with five dogs in the back and one in the passenger seat.

       One of those was Mr Cellan-Jones's 15-year-old rescue dog, who was later found with four of the others after some of the owners mounted a desperate search around west London.

       The van was also found abandoned.

       The journalist, BBC News's technology correspondent who retired in August after 40 years with the broadcaster, immediately posted a plea for information on Twitter.

       Talking to The Telegraph, he said: "What one imagines is that they'll go, 'Oh. I don't want all these dogs. Let them out'.

       "But you don't know. So the police have been contacted... they ought to be able to spot the van. But I don't know how much effort they put into that sort of thing."

       As well as Cabbage, the van also contained Bouka, an 11-year-old German shepherd; Bafi, a three-year-old cockapoo that was in the passenger seat; Sam, a light brown Labrador aged 12; and two beagles, Toby, aged between nine and 12 and Bbua, aged between seven and nine.

       The dogs stolen in the heist Cabbage - Collie, 15, owned by Rory Cellan-Jones Bouka - German Shepherd owned by Alexandra Psillakis, 32, who was rescued from a wheelie bin in Athens in 2010 after Alex had a night out. She is 11 years old and "because she’s a rescue dog she doesn’t like strangers" Bafi - a cockapoo who would be of most value to the thieves as she is still young aged three Sam - Light brown Labrador aged 12 Toby - a beagle who is between nine and 12 Bbua - a beagle who is between seven and nine

       Bouka is owned by Alexandra Psillakis, 32, who rescued it from a wheelie bin in Athens in 2010.

       Bafi was the only dog that remained missing on Friday night.

       A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed they were called at 10.11am on Friday to reports of a van being stolen from Erconwald Street in White City which contained six dogs. No arrests have been made.

       Mr Cellan-Jones, 63, said that "nice guy" Mr Holte-Smith was in a "terrible state", and that he had been walking Cabbage for seven years.

       He said: "Brett is tearing around this busy street where you can't really park, you can just hold.

       "He leapt out the car, bangs on somebody's door to hand over that dog, turns around and somebody leapt into the driver's seat and drove away with the van. So, bam, the dogs disappeared."

       Speaking about Cabbage, Mr Cellan-Jones said: "She's really old. She was a rescue dog from The Dogs Trust. We got her in 2007. She was very nervous.

       "Friends said 'you're mad to get a collie' because they need so much exercise.

       "And actually, it's been brilliant. Especially for me. I still run with her. And now we're both slowing down for various reasons.

       "She's slowed right down. She's half blind. She's quite deaf. She walks very slowly now. But she's still gets three walks a day."

       Mr Holte-Smith walks Cabbage twice a week and told The Telegraph that he'd never left his van running before to knock on a door, but that he couldn't fathom that somebody would steal it.

       He said: "I wouldn't take anything from people. I'm definitely not contemplating somebody stealing my van. My brain can't even comprehend. What world are we starting to live in?"

       He didn't see the van being taken, but noticed a red Audi pulling up next to the vehicle, somebody getting out and then his van being driven away "super fast".

       He said: "So you know, I'm shocked and I'm gutted, but I'm gutted for my clients.

       "I love these dogs, these dogs are my friends. It hurts. I'm trying to be positive. So that my mindset to stay positive so we could get a positive result."