An animal welfare charity has more than doubled its reward for help to catch a sick killer suspected of butchering cats in Croydon.

In December PETA announced a £2,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person thought to thought to have killed and dismembered up to seven felines over the past three months.

Now, with the suspected killer still at-large, and no new developments in the case, the charity has increased the reward to £5,000.

Dec 22: Animal rights campaigners offer £2,000 reward for help to catch the Croydon cat killer

Dec 15: Police step up Croydon cat killer investigation after more 'horrifying' mutilations

PETA Associate Director Elisa Allen said: "It’s imperative that any community faced with such sadistic and violent acts take measures to find the culprit and bring him or her to justice.

"Animal abusers are a danger to everyone – they take their issues out on whoever is available to them, human or non-human, and must be caught before they act again."

The charity has previously voiced fears that the suspected cat killer might move on to attacking humans, using the example of infamous murderers such as Ian Brady and Raoul Moat who started out by abusing animals.

All the cats - found in Addiscombe, South Norwood, Coulsdon and West Norwood since September - were missing their tails and some had been decapitated.

The gruesome discoveries, first reported by the Croydon Guardian, have gained nationwide attention and led an animal shelter to warn owners to keep their cats indoors.

Campaigners South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL) have previously called on police to step up their investigation into the deaths, citing anecdotal reports that more than 30 felines have been killed in total over the last two years.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman today there had been no update in the case, and that the investigation was ongoing.

In November a tortoiseshell and white female cat died after being shot four times at close range with an air rifle in Sanderstead, although police said they believed the death was not linked to other killings. 

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