There is a cat burglar in New York City! A Queens deli has been home to a local stray cat for many years, and now he has been catnapped! The deli's owner is devastated, and the community is banding together to try and find this beloved feline. Watch the video to see the footage as a thief catnaps a beloved cat in NYC.
Theif Catnaps Beloved Cat
Screenshot from Youtube
Antonio, an 18-year-old Tabby, has been a beloved companion of a deli owner in Queens. This cat has called this shop home for almost 20 years and is well-known and loved by the public. The store owner, Glen Alagasi, told the NY Post how the cat is like his teenager. He told them,
"He's like a teenager. He comes here and eats and sleeps. He then goes out to three houses from the back and hanging out there for long hours. He's like a teenager smoking there and coming back here at mealtime."
However, just the other day, Antonio did not report for one of his meal times. The storeowner grew suspicious, as the cat typically did not miss meals, and he went out to look for him. After searching and whistling for the cat to no avail, Alagasi checked his security footage.
Thief Caught In The Act
The security footage shows a stranger coming and grabbing Antonio. The cat was drinking from a puddle on the sidewalk around 8:30 at night. The catnapper approaches Antonio and tries to grab him, but the cat gets away. However, the thief tries again, getting down to the cat's level, and successfully grabs him the second time. The thief catnaps the beloved cat in NYC on August 2nd and walks off with him in his arms.
While Alagasi thinks the stranger mistook the cat for a stray, he believes the man had bad intentions in taking the cat. However, he told Eyewitness News, "I'm not pressing any charges on you; just bring the cat back." The store owner is not the only one who is feeling Antonio's absence. The local community is also missing the beloved cat.
Consuelo Berna, a store customer, told Eyewitness News, "He is our beloved neighborhood cat." In addition to speaking out on news channels, the local community is also putting up signs for Antonio across the neighborhood, hoping the cat burglar sees this and returns the cat.
Apart from just missing Antonio's presence, Alagasi reminds people that the cat "is a senior" and "he really needs his medication." Hopefully, the thief who catnapped this beloved cat will see these heartfelt messages and return Antonio home soon.
