Croydon cat killer: Actor Martin Clunes urges police to catch 'sick individual' behind massacre

'Stuff of nightmares': The actor wrote to the Met on behalf of Peta
Tom Marshall10 February 2016
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Actor Martin Clunes has urged police to catch a serial cat killer feared to be on the loose in south London after some 35 moggies were allegedly "massacred".

The so-called Cat Ripper of Croydon has been linked to the deaths of dozens of cats which were reportedly mutilated and decapitated in the area.

The Doc Martin star, who went to school in Croydon, has written to Scotland Yard on behalf of animal rights group Peta, urging police to make the search for the culprit a priority.

In his email to Met commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, he wrote: "I read with horror that some of the cats had been decapitated and dismembered - this is the stuff of nightmares.

"The local community is understandably distraught and frightened. No-one feels safe while this sick individual is on the loose."

He goes on to note that mental health professionals and top law enforcement officials consider animal abuse to be a red flag indicating a deep mental disturbance.

"Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty to animals don't stop there - many of them move on to their fellow humans. That is a scary thought indeed," Clunes wrote.

He concludes the letter by saying: "Because repeat crimes are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers and given the malicious nature of these crimes, I implore you to take every measure necessary, including re-examining all available CCTV footage, to apprehend this dangerous criminal.

"The safety of the entire community depends on it."

Peta has offered a £5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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