Mystery of the cat-napper who takes neighbours' pets... and dumps them 25 miles away

Desperate for their return, they handed out hundreds of leaflets and put up posters with photographs appealing for information about the seven missing pets.

But this week the search took a disturbing and sinister twist. Each family received an anonymous letter from the 'person responsible for the disappearance of your cats'.

The printed note, littered with grammatical errors, explained that the cats had been caught and driven at least 25 miles away and let loose.

This malicious act was a form of revenge for the animals apparently vandalising the catnapper's garden - on the very same street.

The pets had pounced on birds, leaving feathers scattered all over the lawn, and destroyed plants and shrubs by using flowerbeds to relieve themselves.

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Vanishing points: The homes where the cats of Bramley Crescent have gone missing

And although the anonymous culprit assures the residents that their none of the cats have been harmed, the letter chillingly warns that if any are returned to their owners and subsequently caught for a second time, 'they will be destroyed'.

So far seven cats have vanished from the street in Southampton, although the letter-writer only admits to taking six.

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Have you seen this cat:?The owners have posted up pictures of their pets

Ellie Catto, 30, said her three children were extremely distressed at the loss of their two cats Tooty and Dusty.

She added: 'It makes me so angry that someone feels that they have the right to take our cats like this.

'In the letter it talks about the cats intruding on "my family" and "my garden" but what about my kids?

'My five-year-old daughter Holly and seven-year-old daughter Abigail are distraught about losing their cats.

'And my ten-year-old son Amos is also missing them terribly. If somebody has taken them and dumped them, as far as I'm concerned that's theft and cruelty to animals.'

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A number of clues to the letterwriter's identity are contained in the note which also admits that others were involved in the catnapping. The letter says: 'I have lived in the Bramley Crescent area for many years with my family.

'But just lately, my neighbour and I have become totally fed up with the number of cats invading our gardens.'

The letter complains that cats are responsible for killing birds, damaging 'expensive shrubs' and leaving their mess around for children to step in.

The letter goes on: 'Your cats were caught and removed to an area a minimum of 25 miles away by a lorry driver friend of mine.

'If you were lucky enough to get your cat back ... the second time they get caught in my garden, THEY WILL BE DESTROYED.'

Kelly Went, 29, lost her two cats, Spoon and Fletcher, within the space of four days.

She said: 'I have prepared myself for the fact that they might be dead. Even if I got my cats back now I would be too scared to let them out of the house.

'Those cats were all I had and now they have gone missing - this person is sick. He doesn't know how much our cats mean to us.'

Marian Parkin, who lost her cat Puss Puss, added: 'It is very sad and very distressing. Whoever is doing this is very cruel.'

The other two missing cats are called Spot and Blackie.

Another elderly resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, fears that her cat has already perished because it needs to be given tablets for a kidney condition.

She said: 'It's disgraceful. I'm absolutely appalled. It's cruel and sick. This letter is very threatening and frightening.'

Inspector Andrew Timms, of Hampshire police, said: 'If the letter writer has taken these cats, then he or she is guilty of theft. Anyone who helped has aided and abetted an offender in committing the crime.'