So Upset. Stolen Cat.

[tararabumdeay]

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.

Animalsearchuk.co.uk have search teams for missing/stolen pets, they may be able to help? I hope Herbie is soon home poor thing

So the cat was 'stolen' on the 8th October and it is now the 15th October.

Is it possible that someone thought he was a stray and since feeding him thought he needed a home

I would contact the police again and ask them why they are doing nothing despite the fact you have provided the license plate. I think cats are treated as property in UK law. I think you need to create some noise with the police and try to get them to act.

Definitely YANBU. I’d be devastated if that happened. The private detective suggestion is a good one.

I’m wondering what kind of idiot steals an elderly cat. Even though he looks adorable.

I'm so sorry for you.
We had a Hermes driver take my car battery from my driveway. (DH had removed it to charge as my car wouldn't start.) We contacted Hermes via their online chat option. My car battery was returned in 48 hours. It might be worth a try?

OP you say you have witnesses that they took the cat but your Facebook simply says people saw them with/near the cat - not stealing it. The van is silvery grey on Facebook but silver blue on Mumsnet? Then you go on to say you ordered a collection for MONDAY (it says a Friday in the OP) but ask in case they don't work for Hermes again on your Facebook post before the 'sting' parcel is due to be collected. Why is that? Why did you make an assumption that they would not work for Hermes again after working for them for MONTHS

I really think you need to get your story straight because there are more holes than Swiss cheese which won't be helpful in finding your cat

What does unsophisticated even mean on this context?

I suspect english may not be the o/p’s first language-

“We've spoken to the vet but he's been taken by irrational people so the vets don't have any information”

Also doesn’t quite sit right in the context.

Probably a polite way of saying 'rough as fuck'

Yes, I think OP is trying to get away with being rude, English as a mother tongue or ESOL.

Having said that, hope Herbie is found safe and well.

I’m not sure I’ve met many sophisticated teenagers OP.

I get you are upset, but back off from attacking a child. It is the parent who is at fault.

They most likely thought he was being neglected because of his age making him look a right state bless him.
We had similar round here, someone posting on fb very alarmed about a cat that looked as if he'd been living in the wilderness for months and needed urgent vet care. When In fact he has loving owners - who now keep him indoors to avoid this scenario.

I doubt you will get your car back OP. They're probably not the type to bring him back if his chip is ever scanned and they realise their mistake.

@AlternativePerspective

I suspect the police will do nothing. And tbh I’m not even sure what people think the police should do.

It’s essentially a stray cat if it’s always left outside and looks to be in a bad way. But all the driver needs to do is say that no, they don’t have the cat. The police aren’t going to demand to search their property or anything. Like that.

There are real criminals out there... If the OP didn’t want someone to take the cat then perhaps she should have looked after it better so that it didn’t look to be in such a poor state.

Don't be ridiculous. You do realise that old cats don't always look their best no matter how well looked after they are? It doesn't mean they are strays though! The cat may decide he likes to sit outside, again it doesn't mean he's a stray or 'always left outside'.

Could it have been their cat originally? Or they think it is?

What sort of criminal steals a very old cat and then quits their job? Must be more to this.

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

I still don't understand what this has to do with the missing cat ...

Police won't do much about a stolen cat, OP, I'm afraid - we had a similar issue, a neighbour 'stole' our cat and the police said cats are considered roaming animals so despite the fact she was locking him in, they consider it the cat's choice effectively.

I would find all the local pet groups you can on Facebook and Nextdoor and post in there - chances are they thought he was a stray and think they're doing the right thing.

And to the PP saying he needs to be looked after better - old cats just look like that! We had a 22 year old boy who would frequently terrify people passing our house because a) he liked to snooze on the pavement when the sun warmed it and b) he looked like he'd been run over he was so scruffy and skinny!

OP - you still haven't said what your 'witnesses' saw? Did they actually see the cat being lifted into the van?

@LeaveMyDamnJam

I’m not sure I’ve met many sophisticated teenagers OP.

I get you are upset, but back off from attacking a child. It is the parent who is at fault.

According to the FB post, this “child” is between 16 and 20 years old.......

Hermes don't actually employ people in n the true sense of the word. Their delivery drivers take on a round, which they are responsible for and paid around 25p per parcel. If they are off for any reason or want to go on holiday they have to find someone e.g. a friend to cover for them. I doubt emailing the CEO will be of any help. I would try local Facebook groups.

I hope you find him soon

Police? Employment law? I am sorry your cat has gone missing but you've made a massive leap here (cats wander off all the time) blaming this person

I'm so sorry to hear this. Same thing happened to me last month! The neighbour moved out and took 2 of my cats with him. He used to be a chef at the local pub so after some asking around, I managed to find him on Facebook and some nosing on his page proved that he had taken 'his' cats with him and I managed to find the area he'd moved to and where he now worked. I honestly can't praise the police enough as they managed to get them back after he put up a bit of a fight claiming I'd abandoned them and had lived with him for 3 years!!! Luckily they were chipped. I really hope you manage to get your boy back, but I would advise you to contact pet log (or your microchip company). I registered them as missing and also paid a one off small fee to upgrade to premium membership that meant that when I logged them as missing, they automatically contacted every vet practice within a 30 mile radius to inform them.