A 72-year-old Winnipeg man faces extortion and theft-related charges after demanding money in exchange for the return of a stolen cat, say police.
Neighbour told owner he had cat, demanded money for its return, police say
CBC News · Posted: Jul 19, 2026 2:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
Listen to this article
Estimated 1 minute
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
A cat is seen in a file photo. A Winnipeg man is accused of demanding money from a neighbour in return for her cat. (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)
A 72-year-old Winnipeg man faces extortion and theft-related charges after demanding money in exchange for the return of a stolen cat, say police.
On July 14, a 44-year-old woman reported that her cat had gone missing from her home on Manitoba Avenue in the city’s North End, police said in a news release on Sunday.
A neighbour later delivered a letter, saying he had the cat and wanted money in exchange for its return, the release stated.
Officers went to the neighbour’s house on July 16 and found the unharmed cat, which was returned to the woman.
The man was arrested and then released on an undertaking.
Corrections and clarifications·Submit a news tip·Report error