Police staggered after person calls 999 to say they are being followed by a cat
23 June 2023, 10:17
Police have been left staggered after a person called 999 because they were being followed by a cat.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
They reported the feline stalker to the emergency services - wasting valuable time.
The Metropolitan Police's Chief Superintendent Dan Ivey said: "Can't quite believe I'm typing this but I've just been told one of our most recent calls on 9️99 was someone reporting being followed down the road by a cat.
"Yes. A CAT. I had to listen to the call myself to believe it."
Can’t quite believe I’m typing this but I’ve just been told one of our most recent calls on 9️⃣9️⃣9️⃣ was someone reporting being followed down the road by a cat
— Chief Superintendent Dan Ivey (@DanielRIvey) June 22, 2023
Yes
A CAT 🐱
I had to listen to the call myself to believe it https://t.co/mWkixVQWwt
The Met has published time-wasting calls in a bid to get people to stop using up call-handlers' resources with pointless conversations.
A few years ago, the Met did a round up of some of the 2 million calls it received in a year and described some that did not need an emergency response.
Among them were a report of out of date biscuits, an extra saveloy and chips and a request for the time.
The Met carried out a "think before you dial" campaign and warned it puts people's live in danger.
Ch Supt David Jackson, who was in charge of call handling for the Met, said: "Although these calls can be perceived as amusing, they are actually a huge waste of the Met’s resources.
"These hoax calls block the number from other members of the public who could be calling 999 in a real emergency, keeping people in danger waiting for longer and putting lives at risk."
