Delivery driver allegedly stole cat from West Hollywood home, tried to return it and claim award money
Missing cat returned after being taken from home
A family's beloved cat is safe and home after a food delivery driver was seen on surveillance video taking the cat from the front porch of its home in West Hollywood.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - A West Hollywood family's cat is safe at home after a bizarre "catnapping" was caught on camera.
The feline, named Flocky, was allegedly taken by a food delivery driver who later returned the cat and attempted to claim the reward money that had been offered for its safe return.
Timeline:
On a recent evening, a man delivering food arrived at a West Hollywood home.
Surveillance video from the home shows the delivery driver taking a special interest in the family cat, Flocky, who was outside the residence.
The driver is seen luring the cat over to his Prius, picking it up, and placing it in the trunk of his car before driving away.
After the cat went missing, a neighborhood-wide search was launched, and posters offering a $1,000 reward for the cat's safe return were placed throughout the area.
A couple of weeks later, the same driver who had taken the cat returned it to the owner's home.
The driver then tried to collect the $1,000 reward money.
What they're saying:
The cat's owner said that seeing the video was a devastating feeling.
"It's just like seeing another human being just picking up your cat, just throwing into [the trunk], it was like technically to me, kidnapping my cat," the owner said.
When the driver asked for the reward money, the owner felt it was like a ransom demand.
"He asked for a reward and stuff, so that's the only thing you imagine... it's almost like you know one of those movies where they kidnap first and they ask the money later on like it's just it's unbelievable."
What we know:
The cat is now safely back at home.
The owner did not pay the man who returned the cat any money.
The sheriff’s department is looking into the incident, it appears that at this time the man will not be charged with anything.
There is no indication that the man has done this before.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the cat's owner, including their direct quotes and a review of surveillance video from their home.