Amazon Driver Takes Family Cat, Claims He Meant to Care for It
An Amazon delivery driver, Catalin Stancu, was recorded on a doorbell camera taking a cat named Nora from a garden in Elland, West Yorkshire. Stancu later stated he was unaware the cat had an owner and that he took her only to care for her.
The footage of Stancu carrying Nora away from her home in January went viral. At Bradford Magistrates' Court, it was revealed that Stancu kept the cat at his residence in Oldham for three days before returning her. He told police he had not noticed the cat was wearing a collar.
The 41-year-old Romanian national pleaded guilty to the offence of taking a cat and received an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for one year.
Attempts to Return the Cat and Public Reaction
The court heard that after the footage circulated online, Stancu and his family tried to return Nora. Stancu apologized to the cat’s family and said he had been taunted by people in Romania since the social media post began circulating.
"I didn't steal it, I just took it," Stancu said, emphasizing he had no "bad intention."
The offence of taking a cat was introduced in 2024 to distinguish it from theft and to acknowledge that "a family pet is more than an object."
Details of the Incident and Investigation
Nora, a three-year-old rescue cat, went missing from her home on 19 January. Prosecutor Paul Ramsey explained that her owner, Carl Crowther, who lives with his wife, daughter, and stepdaughter, became worried when Nora did not return home for tea as usual and was still missing the next day.
Upon reviewing footage from his Ring doorbell, Crowther saw Stancu delivering a package, then staring at Nora for a "prolonged period of time" before picking her up and placing her into a car.
After the footage was shared online, Crowther received a Facebook request from Stancu. Additionally, Crowther’s daughter received a TikTok message stating: "Hello, I have your cat. Please text me your address. I tried to give the cat back but I forget the place I took it."
Stancu was subsequently arrested, and Nora was returned to her family. However, the family has since built an enclosed outdoor area for Nora due to concerns she could be taken again, as she is now unable to roam outside as freely as before.
Sentencing and Court Remarks
In mitigation, the court was informed that Stancu was "genuinely remorseful" and had asked the family to accept his apology.
District Judge Paul Marks, while handing down the suspended sentence, stated:
"Whatever your initial motive was for taking Nora, and whatever concerns you had about Nora's health, you should not have behaved in the way you did.
"Nora was a much-loved family pet and the family wanted her back. The distress they suffered for three days when they knew nothing of where Nora was, was very upsetting."
Stancu, who has three previous convictions for dishonesty offences but had not appeared in court since 2013, was also ordered to complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and serve a three-month electronically monitored curfew.
Judge Marks further ordered Stancu to pay £500 in compensation to the family but acknowledged that "the value of Nora can't be measured in pounds and pence."
Statements from Stancu and the Family
After the hearing, Stancu told reporters:
"I apologise, I accept my punishment.
It was not with bad intention to take the cat. I didn't steal it. I just took it… I tried my best to give the cat back when I saw on social media. I didn't know the cat belonged to them."
Reading a statement on behalf of her family outside court, Kyla Sharpe said:
"Today's sentence cannot undo the distress and heartbreak our family has suffered, but we are grateful that the court recognised the seriousness of what happened.
Our much-loved Nora was taken from our garden by someone who had no right to do so.
She is not just a pet, she is a cherished member of our family, and the fear of not knowing if we would ever see her again was devastating for us all.
We hope today's outcome sends a clear message that animals are not objects to be stolen, and that the pain caused to families by these actions is very real.
We have spoken to Mr Stancu and accept his apology."
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