Delivery driver who stole Elland cat appears in court
A delivery driver caught on a doorbell cam stealing an Elland cat has been sentenced today.
Catalin Stancu, 42, was captured on a ring doorbell camera stealing tabby cat Nora in January.
Owner Carl Crowther, 54, was left "disgusted" when he discovered footage on his doorbell camera.
He and his family reported the theft to police and provided officers with a registration number of Stancu’s vehicle, which was traced to an address in Oldham.
Calder Valley neighbourhood policing team officers then travelled across to Oldham and found her at the address.
She was then brought back safe in a police vehicle.
Stancu was interviewed about the theft and then summonsed by postal requisition to appear before magistrates.
He pleaded guilty to stealing a cat contrary to the Pet Abduction Act and was today sentenced at Bradford Magistrates Court to eight weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months.
He was also handed 15 days' community service and ordered to pay £500 in compensation.
Stancu – dressed in a black suit – only spoke to confirm his name and address.
The court heard he was "embarrassed" and that he tried to contact the family on social media to give it back, but they didn't answer him.
Speaking previously at the time of Nora's disappearance Carl, a maintenance man, branded Stancu's actions "absolutely disgusting".
Sergeant Cat Ryan, who led the investigation to find Nora with officer in the case PC Bethan Shaw, said: “Finding Nora safe and being able to take her back home was a lovely experience for all of us involved.
“Our officers who recovered her said she seemed quite unfazed by the whole experience, and it was an absolute pleasure for them to see how happy the Crowthers were to have her home.
“Thanks to their quick work in sharing their appeal and providing us with details they had, we were able to identify the suspect and an address."
The sergeant said officers had been keen to test new legislation under the Pet Abduction Act to bring a prosecution against Stancu, as the new powers within it reflected the impact the theft of a pet could have on victims.
She added: “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.
“It highlights that people’s dogs and cats are more than mere property, or inanimate objects that can be stolen and dealt with under the theft act.
“One look at how happy the Crowthers have been happy to have Nora home, and see how settled she is to be back, only confirms how important it was for us to achieve this outcome.”
Carl said his family had been delighted to have their cat returned safe and well.
“Anyone who has a pet knows what they mean to you as a family, and we just want to thank everyone involved for helping get Nora home,” he said.
“The worry we all felt at losing her was enormous and we were over the moon when we got the news she was safe.
“Fortunately she has been pretty oblivious to all the drama really and has certainly settled right back in at home."