Man Accused of Kidnapping Neighbor’s Cat

Deryl Miles is accused of cat nabbing.

Miles, 55, allegedly kidnapped his neighbor’s cat and held it hostage for $50 after the animal wandered into his yard.

He was arrested Tuesday on misdemeanor larceny charges for allegedly trapping the cat, named Brunswick, in a wooden shed behind his mobile home, according to court documents.

Surrounded by police, Miles called a local newspaper from his trailer and said “I’ve taken (the cat) legally because it was trespassing on my property.”

Miles refused to release the cat, and was arrested after leading police on a brief chase around his yard, court documents stated.

The cat’s owner, Leah Vader, said she called police after hearing her pet howling from the shed next door.

“You have the right to call animal control if you have an unwanted animal in your yard,” she said. “You don’t have the right to hold him for ransom.”