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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the police should do more to catch M25 animal killer.

79 replies

ILoveMyMonkey · 19/11/2017 08:40

I'm sure everyone has heard about the 'M25 Cat Killer'.

Well having killed multiple cats and foxes this sicko has now started decapitating rabbits in my local area too. One has been confirmed as an M25 victim and the second is to be confirmed but is highly likely.

According to local reports this sicko is now responsible for over 350 cat deaths and over 40 fox deaths. www.hertsad.co.uk/news/brutal-rabbit-decapitation-latest-in-m25-animal-killer-spate-of-attacks-1-5282093

So AIBU to think the police should do more?

Surely it's just a matter of time before this psycho progresses onto killing people.

I can't believe there is no evidence to link someone (or some group) to all these killings.

OP posts:
ThePinkOcelot · 19/11/2017 10:15

Surely someone must know who this sick bastard is!

RainyDayBear · 19/11/2017 10:19

I follow SNARLs Facebook page, I think everything is being done that can be done at the moment. The police are taking it seriously but when it covers such a wide area and there is so little to go on I don’t see what more they can do. It’s vloody horrible though, hope he will be caught soon!

scrivette · 19/11/2017 10:25

The police (in the majority of areas) have been taking it seriously.

SNARL are doing a fantastic job trying to raise awareness as many people still just aren’t aware this is happening.

The person seems so clever at avoiding being detected that I feel it’s only going to be chance he is caught, by people being aware and keeping an eye out for him.

Original poster
ILoveMyMonkey · 19/11/2017 10:27

No. The police have been involved for quite some time. SNARL have taken a lead, and are really doing much of the communication about this (sensibly - for reach), but the police have been involved for quite a while. I do know that they’re very careful about what is revealed in case they encourage copycat killings.. That makes sense about the copycat.

bigsighall I shall have a look for it.

It is unfathomable that anyone can be quite so brazen as to climb into people's gardens to kill their pets, that seems like a step up from finding cats and foxes out randomly. Imagine if you came across the killer, super scary.

allthecheese your poor neighbours, that is so awful. My cat has been an indoor cat for a long time now partly due to all the cruel people out there.

OP posts:
CauliflowerSqueeze · 19/11/2017 10:32

I read somewhere that the killer is someone who hates women - cats are kind of feminine - and that he will move onto killing a female person at some point.

It’s horrendous.

Honeydragon · 19/11/2017 10:35

The autopsy’s and investigationthey are collaborating between forces is costing time and money.....they wouldnt be doing this if they didn’t very very much want to catch them. They know it’s disturbing behaviour and that the person in question needs catching.

Honeydragon · 19/11/2017 10:38

We had several in this area [Sad and the police have given as much info as they can. I do think they are doing their best in the remit of the law.

I’m not sure how it works you can arrest on suspicion of murder of a human but animals are different as they are not protected.

Squeegle · 19/11/2017 10:40

Well I think you can be prosecuted for animal cruelty, unlawful killing may be.

sparechange · 19/11/2017 10:42

A few cats have been killed in our area of SW London.

I think part of the challenge for police is that cats are quite independent, and come and go as they please so it’s very hard for police to narrow down when and where the killings have happened, and therefore do relevant detective work.

Even the woman in the story in the OP thinks her rabbit was killed sometime between 11am Monday and 11am Wednesday
Who the hell doesn’t check on their pet for that long?!
But it also makes it near-on impossible for the police to do anything until they get lucky with CCTV in the garden of an animal that is killed

Bekabeech · 19/11/2017 10:46

If you can't understand how "whoever it is" can get away with it without being caught - well there was a rapist a few years back who got away with it quite a few times before finally being caught. And in that case the victims could give evidence as to what had happened.

The cat killer, as far as I've read, is very careful. It is thought that he dismembers the bodies somewhere else before leaving them to be found. And a cat is relatively small, so would be easy to hide in a bag etc. Cats can also roam quite large areas, and use little used paths and routes.
Even in my CCTV heavy town, there are plenty of spaces for the killer to operate.
I really hope they are caught soon. But it will likely to be serendipitous, even though several police forces are co-operating on this.

WhoWants2Know · 19/11/2017 10:49

I think that the move to rabbits is a worrying development.

As a previous poster said, 350 cats is sustained hatred for a particular animal. Cats and foxes are viewed by some as destructive and detrimental to the countryside, and hated for it. Some may be strays, and their absence wouldn’t definitely be noticed. Additionally, those crimes are more likely to be opportunistic and spur of the moment.

In moving to pet rabbits, he’s chosen victims that are caged and helpless, and incapable of any kind of harm. It’s premeditated. He’s had to take risks and enter people’s gardens to do it. And they will certainly be missed and mourned. In choosing them, part of his intent is to hurt the human owners who are very likely to be children.

Itsgonnabeacoldone · 19/11/2017 10:52

I couldn't even get the RSPCA out for a neighbour that was keeping a pet in bad conditions and the police won't come to visit you for many crimes. So not sure anyone really cares about animals untill it's more serious...

hesterton · 19/11/2017 10:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
ILoveMyMonkey · 19/11/2017 10:58

Yes I think the move to pet rabbits is a massive step up. In the confirmed rabbit case it was left next to a children's Wendy house. Just sick.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-41830150

OP posts:
kali110 · 19/11/2017 10:59

"I hunk the police should probably focus on catching people that kill people
Oh yes, because the animals and the owners don't matter Hmm

Ithink the police are stuck as its such a latge area.
I hope he's caught soon, whether bythe police or other means.

SoupDragon · 19/11/2017 11:00

I think the question that needs to be asked whenever someone says why aren't the police doing more is what do you want them to stop doing to do this.

This. Absolutely.

GrandDesespoir · 19/11/2017 11:04

I think the police should probably focus on catching people that kill people, maim people, steal from people and generally make other people’s lives a misery before they start worrying about crimes against animals.

Murder is one thing, but personally I'd rather be burgled than have my cat decapitated.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 19/11/2017 11:05

Recently a man was seen trying to pick up a cat he was chased the police were called and followed it up checked cameras (that can take hours to do) but no one matched so it is being taken seriously

I think there could be more in the media as this person isn’t just harming animals he is psychologically harming people intentionally with his actions what happens when he no longer gets a thrill from killing pets

melonsandbananas · 19/11/2017 11:07

This is daft.

Honestly do you really think there is one monstrous dark cat hating ripper pulling off at least 1 murder a night before mixing it up a bit by decapitating a neglected bunny? Traveling miles and miles to do so?
At least hopefully it will encourage people to look after their pets a bit better. Nothing like a bit of dramatic fear to make people finally give a proper shit about their animals or what they are up to.

I can't believe that someone went to the press about their rabbit being murdered when they hadn't checked on the thing for 2 days. People are messed up.

Bekabeech · 19/11/2017 11:10

melonsandbananas have you been following this? It has been going on for a few years - and there are certain characteristics that mean it can be differentiated from "ordinary pet killers" as some of the later have been prosecuted in the mean time.

Original poster
ILoveMyMonkey · 19/11/2017 11:10

Honestly do you really think there is one monstrous dark cat hating ripper pulling off at least 1 murder a night before mixing it up a bit by decapitating a neglected bunny? Traveling miles and miles to do so?

This is what the profilers in the news have suggested. There is often weeks between killings giving someone time to move about. There isn't much detail out there so its unlikely to be multiple copycats.

What do you thinks going on then?

OP posts:
ForalltheSaints · 19/11/2017 11:13

I agree. Another crime which deserves more resources, but given the cuts to police, may not be solved yet.

melonsandbananas · 19/11/2017 11:15

It has been going on for more than a few years. The same story was going round when I was a kid many many years ago.

charlestonchaplin · 19/11/2017 11:19

You send your pet out into the big bad world to be a nuisance and you're surprised that exasperated gardeners and cat-haters wreak their revenge? And that is quite apart from the other dangers the animals are exposed to. Hold yourself responsible for any harm your cat comes to.

RacingRaccoons · 19/11/2017 11:19

There were three round the corner from me in the Summer (all cats). One had been lured away from the house and the remains brought back to the front door so that the inhabitants found it, and very unfortunately it was a young girl that did.

The police in my area was fantastic and were there for a couple of days collecting evidence and scouting the area (which I presume, from my psychology and criminology classes, that this killer likes to view the crime scene and the effects of people after wards).

As a PP said, they can’t realise much due to copycat murders.

I do hope they catch him soon, particularly as he is escalating... a rabbit in someone’s back garden is only a stone throw away from someone inside a house.