Cat owners, be alert.

[Penguin68]

I would guess the psychological motivation of the perpetrator may not be about publicity - and animal torture is so left-field that I doubt others would imitate (although I suppose it might 'give authority' to someone already well down that path). How many people locally would be sick in that way such that local publicity would engage imitative behaviour? National publicity might engage someone elsewhere in the country, I suppose - but probability alone would suggest that lightening is less likely to strike twice in the same local area.

[Lauraaja]

Singalto I'm happy to post leaflets too.

[lilolil]

http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/cat-ripper-strikes-in-dulwich-as-two-pets-found-mutilated/

[singalto]

Lauraaja, I will PM you when I know where Snarl need the leaflets delivered. Thank you for your offer.

[Saffron]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I would guess the psychological motivation of the

> perpetrator may not be about publicity - and

> animal torture is so left-field that I doubt

> others would imitate (although I suppose it might

> 'give authority' to someone already well down that

> path). How many people locally would be sick in

> that way such that local publicity would engage

> imitative behaviour? National publicity might

> engage someone elsewhere in the country, I suppose

> - but probability alone would suggest that

> lightening is less likely to strike twice in the

> same local area.

The way the animals are being displayed does in fact suggest there is an element of attention seeking to the behaviour, and copycat crimes (even murders) are associated with publicity and not necessarily the crime itself (ie, the copying behaviour can be of any crime). https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201207/copycat-killings

I am not questioning that people need to know. They certainly do need to know. I am only questioning where and hiw the information is displayed. And I totally agree with the suggestion that posters need to be displayed with sensitivity, especially eg near schools etc, bc the information can be v upsetting for some people. xx

[mrsparker]

if I can help in anyway with leaflet distribution please let me know. We always keep our cat in at night as he's not much of a prowler but we've been keeping him once dusk sets in since the attacks in Crystal Palace. i'm so glad we did as we live on Rodwell Road. It's such a sad and sickening situation.

[Penguin68]

The way the animals are being displayed does in fact suggest there is an element of attention seeking to the behaviour,

I think the jury may be out on this one, until the perpetrator is caught - it may be about exposing his/ her crime for public shock/ approbation or there may be a ritual element to it - the human Ripper also ritualised the display his crimes, but the last one was undertaken out of the public gaze. Publicity could be the key to the behavior, or it might be irrelevant to it. Is it the act itself, or the impact of the act, that is driving this person? I hope we will be in a position to find out very soon when he/ she is caught.

[Sue]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35598232

"Animals lured with raw chicken, vet says".

The article is rather inconsistent in stating the number of animals involved.

[singalto]

Hi. Several of you have offered to deliver leaflets so could any of you deliver to one (or more) of the following roads:

Landcroft, Bawdale, Hansler, Fellbrigg, Shawbury, North Cross, Darrell and Hindsman roads.

I have the leaflets and would be grateful for any help as I am on crutches. I live on Pellatt rd.

Do PM me if you can help with even one of those roads,

Thank you.

[muffins78]

It's on sky news this morning - it's awful :(

http://news.sky.com/story/1645237/croydon-cat-ripper-may-be-keeping-trophies

[singalto]

That is even more sick than I thought.

[Rosetta]

So gruesome. Wonder if a trap is being used. How would you catch a fox otherwise?

It's always a good idea to keep cats in at night as they are more likely to come to harm at night.

[singalto]

For those of you concerned about the leaflets I can reassure you that there are no disturbing images on it.

[mrsilencio]

I only read about this today, and obviously wouldn't have thought anything of it otherwise, but was interested to see a young(?) man standing by a wall, apparently offering food to a cat earlier this evening outside a house on Crystal Palace Road, by the corner with Silvester Road. It would have been about 5.45. My bike was playing up, so I had to pull up a little bit further up the road to take a look, but had half an eye out to see whether he was up to anything, or just being friendly.

After a minute or so, someone else came down the street and the lad walked off down Silvester Road, but stopped just by the sorting office and seemed to be looking at his phone. After another minute or so, he walked back up to Crystal Palace Road and to the cat. He seemed to be trying to take a picture of it with his phone and talking to it, looking around quite a bit, then a few other people were around on the street and he walked back down Silvester Road.

By this point I was pretty suspicious as it didnt look like someone just talking to a passing cat, so I parked my bike up and went to follow him down Silvester Road to see where he'd gone. By the time I'd done that and walked down the road after him he'd gone, presumably into one of the houses.

At the time I'd even considered calling 101, but my phone was dead, and I have to say a large part of me felt pretty stupid being so suspicious of someone unnecessarily, but thought I'd mention it here just in case. Someone might even know who it was.

Anyway, I didn't get a close look, but would say he was late teens, early twenties, 5'8" - 5'9", skinny, possibly wearing glasses. He was wearing a dark coloured deerstalker type hat, and a baggy tracksuit top with light panels at the sides on the back. He was also carrying a large, empty Sainsbury's bag for life.

[lilolil]

Boudicca Rising from SNARL has asked if you can ring 101 please.

[se22cat]

If you see a guy in his mid 40s stroking cats on the street, occasionally offering them a cat treat and taking multiple photos of them, then that's just me indulging in my love of cats.

The person above sounds pretty suspicious, a shame your phone was dead.

[singalto]

Mrsilencio, please, please ring 101. The cats get caught by someone offering them food. Well done for being so vigilant.

[lilolil]

This is the leaflet

[mrsilencio]

OK, have called 101 and given them the info.

[Joo16]

Reading mrsilencio's description of a chap with dearstalker type hat has reminded me of someone who approached my cat whilst he was sat on our doorstep. He didn't see me as I was in the car. This was a few months ago and we are in West Dulwich. Maybe just a coincidence but unusual for someone to walk down the path.

[singalto]

Joo16, that is interesting so thank you for flagging it up.

I would like to thank all the lovely volunteers who have been distributing the Snarl leaflets and look forward to hearing from those I have not met yet. I am really grateful to you all.

[Soleil]

Hi all,

I own a cat and live in the area- I'm wondering, are any other cat owners letting their cats out in the day?

Is it too risky?

[singalto]

Mine are out during the day but I keep them in from early evening.

[Soleil]

Thank you :)

[SarahH]

Hi there

I have private messaged you about this.