A cat has been found dead just three days after footage from a Ring doorbell showed it being stolen from a house in Bury, Greater Manchester. The incident has left the owner devastated and frustrated with the police response.
The Theft Caught on Camera
The footage, captured by Naseem Aktar, 51, shows a man and a woman luring her 16-year-old tabby cat, Lola, from her neighbour's front drive near Market Street in Bury. Lola went missing on May 25. Three days later, on May 28, Naseem received a call saying Lola had been found dead under a car outside St Luke's C of E Primary School.
Naseem rushed Lola to the vets, but was told the cat had died from dehydration. The doorbell footage showed the couple carrying Lola as they walked away from Naseem's address.
Owner's Heartbreak and Police Response
Naseem believes Lola ended up at an address on Surrey Drive, over half a mile from her home. However, when she contacted the police, she was told officers would not charge the couple who appeared to have stolen Lola, as there was no relevant law to convict them.
Naseem said: "Lola was like a child to us - she was a member of the family. She was a non-vocal cat, so she couldn't make noises, but it breaks my heart as you can see her struggling to get away in the videos. We don't know how someone could be capable of doing something like this, and we don't want anyone else to be subjected to the same brutal and cruel actions. It also disgusts me that the police aren't taking action. This couple are responsible for Lola's death, yet they don't seem to care."
The mother of three added: "Lola was mainly an indoor cat. If she did go outside it was only to our back garden or the boundary wall of our neighbour's fence. She was very affectionate. You can see her interacting with the people in the video before they take her away."
Beliefs About Lola's Final Moments
Naseem believes the couple released Lola, leaving her to find her own way home. She said: "Lola would have had no idea where she was - it breaks my heart. Market Street is a busy main road, she is scared of cars, so she would have never crossed it."
Police Statement
Greater Manchester Police said they were aware of the alleged cat theft. A spokesperson stated: "All lines of enquiry were exhausted and the crime has been closed due to insufficient evidence. The person that reported this will have also been given this update via officers who attended."
Naseem has claimed that police could hold three charges against the couple: theft, the Criminal Damage Act, and the Animal Welfare Act. However, as the couple released Lola, police said they "won't be taking it any further," claiming no offences had been committed.
