Cat thefts 2024
5 February 2025.
Request under the freedom of information act 2000 ref no: FOI2025/00338
I write in connection with your request for information received on 13 January. I note you seek access to the following information:
Following the introduction of the Pet Abduction Act 2024, police forces in England and Northern Ireland are now obliged to maintain data on the numbers of dogs and cats reported stolen in their respective areas.
In order to build a picture of what is happening as regards cat theft in particular, since 2015 I have been collating data using Freedom of Information requests from each police force across the UK. This data and our subsequent report (the Cat Theft Report 2022) helped inform the discussion as the Bill progressed through parliament.
With a very few notable exceptions, most police forces have been very helpful and have consistently provided this information. I would therefore be grateful if you could complete my freedom of information request below:
1. What were the total number of cat theft/abduction crimes in 2024?
2. What was the outcome (charge/summons, community resolution, active investigation, evidential difficulties, no suspect identified) for each cat theft/abduction crime in 2024?
3. Please list specific cat breed types with amounts (stolen/abducted in 2024) — or ‘breed unrecorded’ or ‘mixed breed’?
I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.
Following enquiries within Bedfordshire Police Force please see our response below.
Recorded Crime
Stolen: Cat(s)
Dates between: 01.01.- 31.12.2024
|
Count of Serial Number |
2024 |
||||||
|
Property / Crime Outcome |
Jan |
May |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Grand Total |
|
Stolen cat |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
|
15 - Suspect, victim supports, evidential difficulties |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
16 - Suspect, victim does not support |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
18 - Investigation Complete |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Grand Total |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
Please note we do not record cat breed.
The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.