Published 09:04 IST, May 28th 2020
Londoners confuse pet cat for Cheetah, Scotland Yard & chopper land up at UK-Indian's home
Scotland Yard sent a team 20 armed officers& a helicopter into a London suburb after residents spotted a cheetah-like wild animal, which turned out to be a cat.
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The Scotland Yard and Metropolitan Police in London sent a helicopter into the skies on Monday, May 25, following multiple reports that a dangerous wildcat was on the prowl in the streets.
The helicopter deployed was tasked with spotting a wildcat which was reportedly sighted in North London. However, the apparent wildcat in question turned out to be a pet cat. The Scotland Yard Police reportedly dispatched armed cops on a wildcat chase after residents in the neighbourhood popularly dubbed "billionaires row" said the animal had markings similar to that of a cheetah or leopard.
Wild Cat chase with Scotland Yard's finest
2/2 - An animal expert also attended and visually assessed the cat; it was concluded the animal was not thought to be dangerous or a threat to the public.
— Barnet MPS | North West BCU (@MPSBarnet) May 26, 2020
The cat made off from the garden; enquiries continue to locate it.
No reports of attacks/ injuries to members of public.
Pictured below is a representative image of an African Savannah cat
George just told me that a Savannah Cat is loose in our little town. It was a pet that got out. I didn't know what a Savannah Cat was but after googling I've decided that if I find it, I'm keeping it. pic.twitter.com/4e6vJk14wT
— jane, never leaving the house again (@JaneNX01) April 18, 2019
A resident of the area claimed it was "very dramatic," stating that there were helicopters on the lookout for the supposed "dangerous" animal. After neighbours saw an unusually patterned cat springing from bushes and hopping around in their gardens, several calls were made to the local police station which prompted a swift and altogether heavy police response.
Upon learning that the animal was in fact a feline and a pet hybrid Savannah cat that had escaped from a neighbour's garden, officers stood down and recalled the search party.
British Indian billionaire Nirmal Sethia, a luxury tea tycoon settled in the UK, to whom the cat belonged to, was paid a visit by a band of armed officers in his mansion at Hampstead. Sethia speaking to a news daily, explained how 20 police officers armed with machine guns and tasers landed outside his house in a helicopter.
African Savannah cat is a hybrid variety, which is a cross between an exotic African serval and a domesticated house cat. While the animals are larger than regular pet cats, they are also touted to have strong hunting instincts. A website dedicated to the breed insists there is “no better family pet.” They state that the cat has the trademark energy and loyalty of a brand new puppy and the independence and astuteness of a domesticated cat.
09:04 IST, May 28th 2020