Police called after Aldi cat triggered store alarm

A pet owner has appealed for people to stop feeding her cat after it sneaked into an Aldi store in Nottinghamshire and triggered a security alarm.

Seven police officers were sent to the shop in Nottingham Road, Bingham, at 01:14 GMT on Monday, but instead of confronting an intruder, they were met by 16-year-old Millie.

Owner Karen Holt described Millie as a "diva" who refuses to come home, and regularly lingers around the supermarket because of the fuss and attention she gets from shoppers.

"I saw the CCTV picture and thought, 'oh my goodness, that is Millie'," said Ms Holt.

"We all had a little laugh about it," she added. "People were calling her the 'cat burglar' and saying the news had made their day.

"I would never want to waste police time and resources, but I think everyone understands that this was an accident.

"If she knew the attention she was getting, she'd be all over it."

Ms Holt has owned Millie for the past 11 years, after her previous owners moved house and Millie refused to move with them.

"Millie is a stubborn girl - she knows exactly who she is, and we were happy to have her," she said.

"She does what she wants, and you'll struggle to stop her!"

It is not known how Millie managed to get into the store, and Ms Holt admitted she was shocked when she received a message linking her to a Facebook post from the Rushcliffe Police team.

The post confirmed a cat had been stuck in the store overnight and triggered a burglar alarm.

The force said officers were dispatched to the scene after a spate of burglaries nearby over the past few months.

The pair live just around the corner from Aldi, and Ms Holt said Millie had always visited the supermarket.

However, during the summer, Millie stayed there for prolonged periods of time.

Ms Holt said: "I started getting messages from random people on Facebook about her - people were telling me they'd gone to that store specifically to see Millie.

"She was getting so much love from the community."

While many people said they saw the funny side, Ms Holt said she had also received criticism online for letting Millie linger around the supermarket.

"We've had Millie for over a decade now, and it wasn't until people started feeding her that she continued to stay at Aldi," she said.

"I repeatedly posted on social media telling people not to feed her, but I think that encouraged them even more.

"We were concerned for her health and plan on getting her to the vets, but for now, she's happy there."

She added when she tried to bring Millie home, she scratched and lashed out at her.

"She doesn't want to be trapped inside. It's cruel. I can't lock her inside like a prisoner," she said.

Visitors said they "adore" Millie when they did their weekly shop.

Teagan Sanderson, 19, said the cat was part of her Aldi experience.

She added: "She is such a lovely addition to Aldi. She doesn't do any harm - she just sits in the entrance minding her own business.

"Of course, it would be great for the owner if she went home, but I still want to see her."

Stephanie Faulkner, 40, said she always looked for Millie when she did her shopping.

"Everyone sees her all the time, and I always seem to miss her," she said.

"Cats are mischievous at the best of times, so I'm not surprised at the police turning up after she managed to sneak in.

"I want to see Aldi do a campaign with her. I would be so on board with that."

Ms Holt also bumps into Millie when she does her shopping. She said she could "always find her at Aldi" and check that Millie is OK.

She added: "If one day [Millie] finally decides to stay at home, our doors will always be open for her."

Aldi was contacted for comment.

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