"A delivery driver caught on a doorbell camera taking a cat from a garden has avoided an immediate prison sentence. Catalin Stancu, 41, was handed an eight-week prison term, suspended for 12 months, after admitting he took Nora, a much-loved family pet, from outside her home in Elland, West Yorkshire, in January. Stancu, from Oldham, told police he saw the cat in the rain and was unsure if she had an owner, despite observing her collar."
"The court heard Nora's family endured three distressing days without her. After they posted footage of her being taken online, appealing for her return as she required medication, the video quickly went viral. This social media backlash prompted Stancu to contact the family to arrange Nora's return. Stancu pleaded guilty to taking a cat, which Bradford Magistrates' Court heard is a new offence introduced in 2024 to differentiate it from theft and reflect the fact that a family pet is more than an object."
"Speaking outside court, Stancu apologised to Nora's family and said that people in his country of Romania had been taunting him since the social media post started circulating. Stancu said he had no bad intention and added: I didn't steal it, I just took it. The court heard three-year-old rescue cat Nora went missing from her home on January 19."
"Prosecutor Paul Ramsey said Mr Crowther checked his Ring doorbell footage, which showed an Amazon driver delivering a package then staring at Nora for a prolonged period of time before picking her up and putting her into a car. The court heard that after the footage was posted online, Mr Crowther received a Facebook request from Stancu, and his daughter received a TikTok message saying: Hello, I have your cat. Please text me"
A delivery driver took a family cat from outside a home in Elland, West Yorkshire, in January. The driver said he saw the cat in the rain, noticed a collar, and believed he was unsure whether she had an owner. The cat went missing for three days, causing distress to the family and requiring medication. Doorbell footage showing the driver picking up the cat and putting her into a car was posted online and quickly went viral. The family received messages after the footage circulated, and the driver contacted them to arrange the cat’s return. The driver pleaded guilty to taking a cat, an offence introduced in 2024 to distinguish taking a family pet from theft.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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