Sick cat ‘stolen’ by delivery driver is returned to owners

The owners of a cat which was reported to have been stolen by a delivery driver have said they are “delighted and relieved” that she has been returned safely.

Carl Crowther, from Elland, near Halifax, had appealed for the return of Nora earlier this week, saying the cat was ill and required medication.

Doorbell camera footage showed a delivery driver picking up Nora and walking off with her from Crowther’s house on Park Avenue on 19 January.

West Yorkshire Police said the cat had “since been located and returned to its owner”. Nora’s owners said it had been a three-day “ordeal” not knowing what had happened to her.

The footage showed the delivery driver, who was wearing a high-vis jacket, ringing the doorbell while holding a parcel.

The driver was then seen to wait at the door for several seconds with Nora visible in the background, before he turned round, picked up the cat and walked off.

In a statement, Crowther, together with his partner Sarah and their two daughters, said they had adopted Nora from the RSPCA in 2022.

“We are delighted, and very much relieved, that Nora is now back home,” they said.

“She is a very friendly cat who doesn’t normally stray far from home, which is why we were so worried on Sunday evening when she wasn’t home.”

They added that it had been “very difficult to function in your normal day-to-day life” while Nora was missing.

However, they said that Nora “does not seem fazed by the events of the past few days, and is happily enjoying the extra treats and cuddles”.

The family said they were leaving further investigation into what had happened to the police.

Meanwhile, they said they would like to thank people who had liked and shared social media posts about Nora’s disappearance.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said the force had received a report of a cat being stolen from outside the property.

They added: “A crime of theft has been recorded and inquiries remain ongoing.”