{"id":629,"date":"2025-03-10T14:17:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T15:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/?p=629"},"modified":"2025-03-11T23:08:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T23:08:19","slug":"cats-put-into-lockdown-after-five-are-abducted-from-outside-their-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/10\/cats-put-into-lockdown-after-five-are-abducted-from-outside-their-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"Cats \u2018put into lockdown\u2019 after five are \u2018abducted\u2019 from outside their homes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t{“@context”:”https:\/\/schema.org”,”@type”:”VideoObject”,”name”:”Metro.co.uk”,”duration”:”T22S”,”thumbnailUrl”:”https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/03\/10\/14\/96029243-0-image-m-23_1741616923485.jpg”,”uploadDate”:”2025-03-10T14:24:03+0000″,”description”:”The catnappings have occurred within a one-mile radius of Mitcham, South London. While two cats have been returned after appeals, one is still missing.”,”contentUrl”:”https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2025\/03\/10\/1703057831188581654\/480x270_MP4_1703057831188581654.mp4″,”height”:270,”width”:480}<\/p>\n

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class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\twindow.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar player = data.detail.carousel.el_;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.removeChild(placeholder);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pet owners in south west <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/london\/\">London<\/a> are putting their cats in lockdown after a string of \u2018abductions\u2019 by a mystery prowler.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There have been five alleged thefts of cats around Mitcham in a matter of weeks and residents are terrified that their pet will be the next target.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Three of the incidents have been caught on camera with Ring Doorbell footage filming an alleged suspect in the act.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some of the cats have since returned home but are traumatised and are fearful around people, owners have said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Amy Mawsom was at home on the night of February 24\u00a0when her Ring Doorbell footage showed a man in a black beanie, coat and rucksack nabbing her Manx cat Bailey from Longfield Drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The 43-year-old mum-of-two was terrified she would never see Bailey, aged 14, again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Her ex-husband Jason Knight, 53, told <strong>Metro<\/strong>: \u2018She was distraught we all were. We have been trying everything to get her back. I don\u2019t know what motive anyone could have to put a family through this.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"636\" height=\"358\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22701479 lazyload\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/96029243-0-image-m-21_1741616892659.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>The alleged catnapper is seen beckoning a cat a few weeks ago (Picture: Jason Knight)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The family even feared the suspect was using chicken bones to entice the cats into his clutches after some were found strewn across a car bonnet outside the property.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully Bailey was found on Friday over a mile away at Tooting Bec.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Mr Knight added: \u2018We are so relieved. Someone found her and got in touch. She is purring again and happy to be home but we are keeping her in for now while there is still this man out there. She in\u00a0lockdown for her own safety and our peace of mind.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Ms Mawsom <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-14469213\/CATNAPPER-south-London-four-abductions-three-months.html\">previously told MailOnline:<\/a> \u2018We did report it to the police but they didn\u2019t take notice. They\u2019ve done nothing, they\u2019ve got no description, they didn\u2019t ask nothing about the cat, the man, they didn\u2019t ask for the footage.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The family said they even feared the suspect was using chicken bones to entice the cats into his clutches after some were found strewn across a car bonnet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/03\/01\/map-shows-traffic-will-banned-camden-high-street-22628312\/\">Map shows where traffic will be banned on Camden High Street<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/03\/01\/inside-london-trauma-clinic-helping-vulnerable-women-survive-22189042\/\">Inside the London trauma clinic helping vulnerable women survive<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/02\/04\/london-getting-a-new-task-force-save-ailing-nightlife-will-22495061\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/02\/10\/this-salary-need-buy-a-house-every-london-borough-bleak-22528947\/\"><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/02\/28\/warning-londoners-tfl-fare-increase-comes-effect-sunday-22644507\/\">Warning to Londoners as TfL fare increase comes into effect on Sunday<\/a><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/london\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> London news hub<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"1134\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22701393 lazyload\" alt=\"Catnapper\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_243317884-7580.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Bailey went missing for nearly two weeks after a man was spotted coaxing him outside of his home (Picture: Amy Mawsom)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The incident, which triggered a massive social media appeal, has spooked pet owners across the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A resident who lives just streets away and has a six-year-old Ragdoll cat Olive said she would be keeping her indoors from now on.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>She told <strong>Metro<\/strong>: \u2018It\u2019s terrifying. Our cat is a member of the family. She\u2019s like our child. We will be keeping her indoors from now on. How can anyone do this it\u2019s a low point of humanity.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Our cat is very friendly and trusting we fear she would be too easy to steal.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Another cat lover Karen Tozer, 51, told Metro: \u2018We have two tabbies cars and we are going to put them in lockdown. While this predator is out there it\u2019s not safe for them.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Bernadette James who had two cats and lives next door to where Bailey was snatched told <strong>Metro<\/strong>: \u2018I am scared it\u2019s frightening to think someone out there would do this. What could their motive be?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Another cat was stolen on Longfield Drive while a\u00a0moggie\u00a0was also snatched from Flander Crescent, just half a mile away\u00a0on December 3.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile Simba, a ginger tabby owned by Anabela Cunha, was abducted nearby nearby in November.<\/p>\n<p>The theft, caught on Ring doorbell, shows a figure, in a black coat and rucksack, snatching the cat from a driveway.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Mrs Cunha said at the time: \u2018I just want to know why someone would take him and hurt him like this. He is independent and loves living with us. I\u2019m praying that he\u2019s still alive and if he is he may make his own way home.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Simba was found in a garden two-and-a-half miles away in Streatham.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"772\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22701751 lazyload\" alt=\"03\/03\/25 Caption: Amy Mawson who???s cat Bailey is missing after a man was seen approaching the Cat Mailonline heads Mitcham South London after cats have gone missing \/ stolen\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_242367346-ebf9.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Amy Mawson who\u2019s cat Bailey is missing after a man was seen approaching her cat (Picture: Nick Edwards\/MailOnline)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Boudicca Rising, whose group South London Animal Rescue Investigation Network investigated the Croydon Cat Killer case in which moggies mysteriously died, said that the latest incidents are \u2018bizarre\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>She said \u2018We think they are the same guy. He is taking cats with some force. It\u2019s just very weird.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u2018There were unfortunately a lot of people stealing cats during lockdown to breed them and sell them, this doesn\u2019t have the feel of that, it\u2019s just odd.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>She ruled out any connection with the cat deaths in Croydon.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Met Police launched an investigation into the Croydon Cat Killer in 2015, but later said that there was no evidence of \u2018human involvement\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on the latest spate of cat disappearances: \u2018Police are aware of four separate reports of cats having been stolen in Mitcham.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018A theft of a cat in Longfield Drive, Mitcham was reported to police at around 6pm on Thursday, October 3.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Officers were called to the theft of a cat in Maple Close, Mitcham, at around 7pm on Thursday, November 7.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Police were called to the theft of a cat in Frinton Road, Tooting, at around 9am on Monday, November 25.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Lastly, officers were alerted to a cat having been stolen in Flanders Crescent, Tooting, at around 3pm on Friday, December 20.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018The incidents are not being treated as related. There have been no arrests.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Investigations into the incidents which occurred\u00a0on Monday, 25 November\u00a0and\u00a0Friday, 20 December\u00a0remain ongoing. The other two cases have been closed.\u2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong><strong><strong>Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"mailto:webnews@metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\">webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>For more stories like this, <\/strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>{“@context”:”https:\/\/schema.org”,”@type”:”VideoObject”,”name”:”Metro.co.uk”,”duration”:”T22S”,”thumbnailUrl”:”https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/03\/10\/14\/96029243-0-image-m-23_1741616923485.jpg”,”uploadDate”:”2025-03-10T14:24:03+0000″,”description”:”The catnappings have occurred within a one-mile radius of Mitcham, South London. While two cats have been returned after appeals, one is still missing.”,”contentUrl”:”https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2025\/03\/10\/1703057831188581654\/480x270_MP4_1703057831188581654.mp4″,”height”:270,”width”:480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":631,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uk"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=629"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":635,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629\/revisions\/635"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}