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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

So Upset. Stolen Cat.

254 replies

tararabumdeay · 14/10/2020 22:19

Hermes driver and her daughter took our cat on Thursday 8th Oct - we have witnesses.

After turning up every day for months they disappeard, with the cat. A different driver turned up to collet our 'sting'' parcel on Friday. Their job was advertised on Indeed the next day.

I know the girl is a teenager, not in school, called Izzy. I have the van reg. no. It's a 59 reg silver/blue transit.

Herbie is an old man who has lived here all his life. We took him in last winter when his original owner couldn't look after him anymore.

The police are on it but can't get information about the van nor contact Hermes.

AIBU to be so upset? I can usually cope with life's dificulties but his gentle, innocent soul must be so distressed and it's hurting.

Please, if anyone knows the driver and/or daughter, let me know where to get Herbie back so he can spend his last days in the home he knows.

So Upset. Stolen Cat.
OP posts:
decoraters · 14/10/2020 22:44

@GlitterToast

Op,

In the nicest way possible, you have jumped to a LOT of specific conclusions.

I think you need to take a step back and review everything.

This, in absolute bucketloads.

OP do you seriously think a Hermes driver quit their job so they could steal your cat?

DrManhattan · 14/10/2020 22:49

Was it their cat originally?

Hotwaterbottlelove · 14/10/2020 22:50

I took it as the driver decided to take the cat knowing that it was their last day at work. Not the other way round. OP I would be so upset by this and I agree with going to Twitter about this

AuntieJoyce · 14/10/2020 22:50

OP do you seriously think a Hermes driver quit their job so they could steal your cat

Could’ve been the drivers last day on job, he’d grown fond of what he thought was a stray or not well cared for* cat and took him. If he was seen taking the cat, he took the cat

*I don’t mean anything by this OP. My friend was reported twice about the condition of her old tomcat. He was just old

Derekhello · 14/10/2020 22:51

There are lots of lost pet pages/groups on Facebook you can put the information on, probably lost cat pages or groups for your area too in case someone recognised him. Hope he comes home soon he’s beautiful

Original poster
tararabumdeay · 14/10/2020 22:58

This is real. Why would I make it up and out myself to boot?

I'm not daft. We have done everything we could think of so far.

Yes, they've taken the cat; I cannot spectulate their motivation and I don't give a flying fig either. I just want Herbie back.

I will worry about Hermes' obvioulsly dodgy employment protocol later.

OP posts:
thinkingaboutLangCleg · 14/10/2020 22:58

Good luck, OP. Have you also tried nextdoor.co.uk — our local one often has people seeking and sometimes finding lost cats.

ILovesPeanuts · 14/10/2020 23:00

Hermes are dreadful I'm sorry to say. We had a valuable item picked up by a driver that turned up on eBay. The police tried and tried to speak to Hermes but got absolutely nowhere.
Most drivers are fine and good, a few aren't. Hermes is unwilling to address issues, and happily covers for criminals in my opinion, so do not waste too much valuable time pursuing them locally.
I agree with PPs get this all over Facebook until Herbie is too hot to handle. Someone will definitely know this pair.

Original poster
tararabumdeay · 14/10/2020 23:02

Thank you ILovesPeanuts.

Good grief!

OP posts:
AuntieJoyce · 14/10/2020 23:03

I can’t see Hermes helping due to data protection issues at least not promptly

I’d ask the police whether the company address for that numberplate was a proper address or a correspondence one. If it was a proper address I’d pay £100 or so to a private detective who could give me the address for the company then go round

charmsofasimplelife · 14/10/2020 23:06

Would it be an idea to put posters in all the hermes collection points in your area?

He might be avoiding your road but if he's still in the job he'll be regularly going to these points.

MadameMeursault · 14/10/2020 23:06

So sorry OP. I hope you get Herbie back. He’s a beautiful boy Flowers

BeepBoopBop · 14/10/2020 23:09

Facebook is your friend here, search for any groups that deal with lost and missing cats and join them, also DogLost will cover cats too (I think). Print out posters and put them up. I am so sorry, I am sure you will get him back.

Original poster
tararabumdeay · 14/10/2020 23:09

The police have the address of the company but there's no reply. They can't tell me other than it's not local to us.

I posted on here hoping that there may be other information. I've just emailed the CEO of Hermes using the email address given in previous post and forwarded the email to the investigation officer.

I was hoping for the power of Mumsnet and that was a link we didn't have before.

I'll have Hermes for everything employment law can throw at them later but, at the moment, I can't stop thinking about our elderly gentleman Herbie and what he's going through.

OP posts:
ShellsAndSunrises · 14/10/2020 23:15

Have the police given you a crime reference number? Have they contacted Hermes! Hermes would have to provide information to them, the police have an exemption from GDPR. Is that in process?

You need to be pushing the police, a lot. Even if someone recognises them, you’re going to risk a showdown if you turn up at their house, and they don’t sound the most stable... they are unlikely to be letting a stolen cat out incase he comes back to you, so chances are you’ll just have an argument, best case. If they called the police, you’d need to be moved on.

I’m really sorry about your cat. I hope he’s back with you soon.

funkylittleboatrace · 14/10/2020 23:15

OP there is a Facebook page called my Hermes rants, maybe post on there ?

Medievalist · 14/10/2020 23:16

How reliable are your witnesses? Did they actually see the cat being put into the van? Or did they just see the driver/daughter petting the cat and then put 2 and 2 together.

If the latter there's a chance something else has happened to your cat and it might be worth putting some posters up asking people to check their sheds etc.

I'm very sorry this has happened. It's terrible when a much loved pet goes missing.

Original poster
tararabumdeay · 14/10/2020 23:16

I've got to try to get some sleep now. Thank you all for your replies. I will keep checking this thread and post any news I can.

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 14/10/2020 23:20

Sorry I’m confused, does the driver’s daughter accompany her mum on the route then? Surely that’s not allowed?

GlassInEachHand · 14/10/2020 23:22

Sorry about the cat, and apologies for appearing dim, but why is the OP threatening Hermes with employment law? Confused

Alongcameacat · 14/10/2020 23:22

Are you sure the driver actually quit his job as a delivery driver? Could he possibly be on a different route? We often have the same driver for months and suddenly a new one takes over. The company is probably very busy now with the increase of online deliveries.

It seems bizarre that they stole your cat. Even if they (wrongly) presumed he was their own missing cat, they'd have discussed it with you surely.

Is there any alert system that can be put on the vet's systems to say he is a stolen cat should they take him to a vet in the near future?

I'm sorry this happened, its obvious you look after him well and I hope he is returned to you.

decoraters · 14/10/2020 23:24

I'll have Hermes for everything employment law can throw at them later

What the hell is this about? Employment law Confused

TheNestedIf · 14/10/2020 23:26

I am sad and furious on your behalf, OP, and I really hope you get Herbie back.

He does look a bit bedraggled and threadbare, the way old cats often do. If it's any comfort, I think they probably thought they were taking in a stray and will treat him with kindness. He will probably be OK, even if you're not.

covilha · 14/10/2020 23:28

So sorry about this. As others have said, try facebook- there are lots of groups on there such as The Missing Paw Team UKf-or Lost and Stolen pets" and once you join one you receive posts linked to many others. Really hope you get beautiful Herbie back xx

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 14/10/2020 23:39

If the driver took him it will be because they thought he was a poor old stray they were “rescuing”.

When we had new neighbours a few years ago, I didn’t meet them for a few weeks, then discovered they were planning to “trap” our (fluffy, fat, six-year-old) cat because she likes to sit under a bush in their garden even if it’s raining. She couldn’t look less like a stray, but they planned to bring her to the vet to check if she was chipped. She is chipped, and they would have looked like right silly arses to find out she was registered next door - but I do believe it came from a good place, even though cat-face is never, ever out overnight.