A 24-year-old has been detained in conection with the disappearance of around 30 cats in the Liège area in recent weeks. Some of the cats have been found dead. So far, the suspect has admitted to having taken several cats and to having killed 1 of them. The cats disappear from Seraing and Sint-Nicolas, both of which are to the west of Liège.
In recent weeks, residents of Seraing and Saint-Nicolas, near Liège, have been gripped by the mystery surrounding the disappearance and death of cats in the area. As a precaution, several cat owners have been keeping their pets indoors.
Cat owner Mike lives in Seraing. Mike’s cat was taken and found dead a few kilometres away. He told our colleagues from the Francophone public broadcaster RTBF that
"A man on the scooter arrived here. He grabbed my cat by the scruff of the neck. My daughter shouted, ‘That's my cat!’ but the man on the scooter said it was his. Then he rode off”.
The police launched an investigation and have since apprehended a suspect. He is a 24-year-old man. He has since been remanded in custody.
Confession
The suspect has confessed to killing 1 cat and stealing several others. It is not yet clear exactly what happened to the other cats. Nor is it known where the missing animals are at present. The investigation is still ongoing.
The suspect has been charged with theft and animal cruelty and faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years.