After spotting a message on Twitter from Barnet Police about a burglar who stole a cat from his neighbour only to give it to his own mother as a Christmas present, we thought it must have been a festive joke at the public’s expense.
The convivial message said: “A burglar was arrested on Xmas day for stealing an expensive cat from his neighbour and giving it to his mother as a present. #pawsforthought”
It all seemed too purrfectly implausible.
But sure enough, the story was confirmed by officers and a cat burglar had been on the prowl in Colindale.
At around 11.30pm on Christmas Day, officers were called to a reported burglary where a 19-year-old woman’s 10-month-old cat had been stolen.
After a short investigation the cat was recovered and returned to its owner.
A 31-year-old man was arrested and has been bailed pending further enquiries.
As officers were quick to note, the whole affair should give the person responsible some serious paws for thought.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here