By Nigerian News24 staff
A man suspected of being a “serial cat killer” has been arrested in California after being caught on video, authorities said.
Alejandro Acosta Oliveros, 45, was taken into custody on Wednesday by Santa Ana police, who released footage showing a hooded suspect snatching a cat between two parked cars. The arrest came after several disturbing reports of suspected cat abuse and killings, though police did not specify how many animals were involved.
Oliveros faces charges of animal cruelty, and was identified by multiple victims and witnesses. Evidence of the crimes was reportedly found at his home, though authorities have not disclosed what was discovered.
For weeks, residents in the Orange County area had been posting on local social media about missing cats. One post on Nextdoor shared a surveillance video showing a man grabbing a neighborhood cat, tying its legs, and taking it around 5 p.m. Another post described a cat that was allegedly injected with a substance before being killed.
In a chilling incident in nearby Westminster, surveillance footage showed the suspect taking a 10-month-old Bengal Lynx cat named Clubber on March 21. The footage revealed the man attempting to lure the kitten with food before picking it up and driving away in a white pickup truck.
A tip later led authorities to a home in Santa Ana, where they were able to recover Clubber, unharmed, and return it to its owners.
Oliveros is now being held at Santa Ana Jail on felony animal cruelty charges.