An Abbotsford woman is distraught after five 10-day-old kittens were stolen from her home during a break-in.
Janet West said the theft took place at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday when she, her daughter and son were all sleeping in their home near Mill Lake.
Surveillance video showed that a man entered their home through a side door that the family had inadvertently left unlocked, leading into a suite where West’s daughter lives.
The family’s 18-month-old cat, Mittens, had just given birth to a litter of five kittens 10 days ago, and they were all situated in the suite.
The thief made his way through the home, including the bedrooms of West’s kids while they continued to sleep soundly. He stole numerous items, including computers, all her son’s clothes, her daughter’s shoes, passports and an Apple TV.
He also took a jug of milk out of the fridge and chugged it.
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But the most devastating theft was of the kittens, West said.
She said they did not discover the incident until about 6:30 a.m., when West heard Mittens meowing from outside, but she didn’t see the kittens anywhere.
West got her daughter up, and they searched for the kittens inside and out to no avail. Then, they realized that a number of items were missing from around the home.
A check of their surveillance camera showed that a man, whom they did not recognize, had come into their house.
Now, West believes the thief will try to sell the kittens – she said he could get $200 for each of them – but their chances of survival are slim without their mom.
West said Mittens has been “frantically looking for her babies,” and they had to milk her on Tuesday afternoon to help ease her discomfort from not being able to nurse.
West said she hopes the thief returns the kittens.
“We are all so heartbroken over the kittens, and the material stuff is not even an issue. They’re babies – how are you going to care for them? How is he going to feed them? What’s going to happen to them? They must be dying of hunger,” she said.
The Abbotsford Police Department (APD) is investigating the incident and said the suspect is a white male in his 20s. He is tall with a slim build and was wearing a light-coloured hoodie and dark pants.
Police believe the man will try to sell the kittens online or in public. Anyone with information is asked to call the APD at 604-859-5225.
vhopes@abbynews.com
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