Amazon driver caught on CCTV stealing family cat from garden
An Amazon driver has avoided jail after a doorbell camera captured the moment he nabbed a family cat from the garden.
Catalin Stancu was filmed carrying away the three-year-old rescue cat called Nora from her home in Elland, West Yorkshire, on 19 January, and said that he did not have any 'bad intention'.
The 41-year-old pleaded guilty to taking a cat, which became a separate offence under the Pet Abduction Act 2024 and aimed to differentiate taking a pet from theft.
Stancu claimed that he had not seen that Nora was wearing a collar and believed she did not have a home so he took her to take care of her.
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He kept the cat in his home for three days, and the court heard that he and his family attempted to return Nora after footage of the incident was shared on social media.
Paul Ramsay, prosecuting, told the court that Nora's owner Carl Crowther, who lives with his wife, stepdaughter, and daughter, became worried when Nora didn't come in for dinner and remained absent the following day.
When he checked the Ring doorbell footage, he saw Stancu taking the cat and posted the video online, with an appeal that she was unwell and needed medication.
Shortly after this, Stancu messaged Crowther on Facebook, as well as his daughter on TikTok, saying: "Hello, I have your cat. Please text me your address. I tried to give the cat back but I forget the place I took it."
District Judge Paul Marks gave Stancu an eight-week prison sentence suspended for one year, meaning if he commits any further offences in that time, the eight weeks will be added to any subsequent sentence.
The judge told Stancu: "Whatever your initial motive was for taking Nora, and whatever concerns you had about Nora's health, you should not have behaved in the way you did.
"Nora was a much-loved family pet and the family wanted her back. The distress they suffered for three days when they knew nothing of where Nora was, was very upsetting."
Judge Marks also ordered Stancu to pay the family £500 compensation, but noted that 'the value of Nora can’t be measured in pounds and pence'.
Stancu said outside the court building: "I apologise, I accept my punishment.
"It was not with bad intention to take the cat. I didn't steal it. I just took it… I tried my best to give the cat back when I saw on social media. I didn't know the cat belonged to them."
Carl's daughter, Kyla Sharpe, 18, read a statement for her family outside the court, saying: "Today's sentence cannot undo the distress and heartbreak our family has suffered, but we are grateful that the court recognised the seriousness of what happened."
She added: "We hope today’s outcome sends a clear message that animals are not objects to be stolen, and that the pain caused to families by these actions is very real.
"We have spoken to Mr Stancu and accept his apology."
The police officer who fronted the search to bring Nora home, Sgt Cat Ryan, said: "The loss of a pet, especially in circumstances such as a theft, can be a huge blow for a family and this new legislation was introduced due to the seriousness of these offences."
Kit Roberts