Estonian prosecutors drop case against man who arranged break-in to retrieve his cat
Estonian prosecutors have closed a criminal case against a man who paid a stranger with a bottle of vodka to enter an apartment and retrieve his missing cat. They ruled that pursuing the case was not in the public interest.
The Northern District Prosecutor's Office in Estonia has closed a criminal case against a man who arranged a break-in at a stranger's apartment to retrieve his missing cat, Postimees reports.
The cat had ended up in the care of the nonprofit Cats Help, which placed it with a temporary caretaker. The caretaker refused to return the animal and posted a misleading social media message claiming the cat had gone missing from her care.
The owner recognized his cat and decided to get it back himself. Before taking action, he called the emergency number 112 to ask what punishment he might face and to explain his reasons.
A reluctant break-in
At the apartment, the man pried open a window that had been left ajar for ventilation, but he did not dare go in himself. Instead, he hired a random passerby, offering a bottle of vodka to persuade the person to climb inside.
Police opened a criminal investigation under the statute covering incitement and assistance in unlawfully entering a dwelling. Prosecutors later determined that continuing the case was not in the public interest and that the man's culpability was low.
In making that decision, prosecutors weighed his cooperation with the investigation, his explanation of his motives, and his willingness to pay for the damage. He must pay €152.50 for repairing the window and €475 in procedural costs, both due by January 17.
