A thief with "no morals" has been caught trying to steal a pet on camera before hiding behind a hedge. A woman reportedly entered a closed gate of a block of flats in Edinburgh and tried to take the cat at around 5:30pm on March 27, when it was still daylight.

Dressed in black trousers and a brown jumper, footage showed the burglar appearing to run away from the flat in Lochend Gardens after the owner began recording her. She was then seen hiding by a nearby hedge, according to Edinburgh Live. The couple, who wish to stay anonymous, hope to prevent further pet robberies in the area by spreading awareness. 

The owner said: "The woman entered a closed gate to try to lift and remove my cat from the bottom of my flat.

"Thankfully, my husband spotted her and shouted. As soon as he pulled out his phone and started recording, she hid behind the hedge.

"Imagine trying to steal someone's pet. My street alone is inhabited with a lot of lovely cats. There's so many missing cats just now and it really makes you think. It's scary, some people just have no morals at all."

In May 2024, Edinburgh residents shared reports of hooded individuals "attempting to lure cats into cars using treats".

CCTV in the Muirhouse area caught somebody leading a cat with treats in their hand, and one resident claimed the individual "almost got their cousin's cat" but it got away.

A proposed Dog Theft Bill is currently in motion in Scotland, which would make it a specific statutory offence with penalties of up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine for stealing a dog. 

In March 2025, Cats Protection asked the Committee to "recognise the significant welfare impact of pet theft to cats and the emotional impact on their owners", by extending the Dog Theft Bill to protect the 840,000 pet cats in Scotland.