Night jogger arrested after volunteers catch suspected serial cat poisoner in Shek Kip Mei Park

A 34-year-old man was arrested in Shek Kip Mei Park on Saturday after animal protection volunteers caught him allegedly spiking stray cat food bowls with rodent poison, with police subsequently discovering a 14-centimeter fruit knife in his possession. 

Officers detained the suspect, surnamed Ho, on suspicion of cruelty to animals and possession of an offensive weapon following months of recurring poisoning attempts in the neighborhood.

Animal welfare volunteers who regularly feed community cats within a 100-meter stretch of the park first noticed suspicious activity in mid-August. 

Rescuers repeatedly discovered that 2 feeding bowls had been contaminated with an unidentified black sludge-like substance. Concerns escalated when volunteers subsequently found blue pellets suspected to be commercial rat poison mixed into the cat food, prompting fears that local animals would suffer agonizing deaths.

To identify the culprit, volunteers installed concealed closed-circuit television cameras near the feeding area for round-the-clock surveillance. 

The recordings quickly highlighted a man in his 30s dressed in professional running gear who routinely appeared late at night, using a flashlight to inspect the feeding bowls before lingering suspiciously. 

Morning inspections consistently revealed freshly contaminated food following his nocturnal visits, leading volunteers to suspect he was using his late-night jogs as cover to poison the animals.

Animal rescuers ambush suspect during late-night stakeout before police seize knife and poison

Surveillance footage captured around 2am on October 18 documented the suspect's method in detail. 

The video showed the runner approaching a food bowl, ripping open a packet of powder, emptying the entire contents into the food, and stirring it thoroughly by hand. He then tucked the discarded wrapper into his running vest before slipping away.

The operation reached a climax in the early hours of October 24 when real-time monitors showed the runner returning to the park and tampering with both feeding bowls. 

Several animal welfare volunteers waiting in ambush moved in and intercepted the man before he could leave, detaining him on the spot, recording the confrontation on mobile phones, and calling emergency services.

When questioned by rescuers, the man initially offered repeated denials before sitting on the roadside and claiming that he had merely wanted to keep the area clean. 

Rescuers immediately rejected his excuse, arguing that causing animals to die painfully on public walkways would result in a far greater mess, while also dismissing his subsequent claim that he believed the cats would not actually eat the spiked food. 

The suspect grew visibly emotional and tearful during the questioning, though volunteers told him that shedding tears was inappropriate given that the animals he targeted would not have had any chance to cry for help.

Police officers arrived shortly afterward and conducted a search, discovering a stash of rat poison and a 14-centimeter fruit knife on Ho. 

Law enforcement seized the poisonous bait and weapon for forensic examination, taking the suspect into custody for animal cruelty and weapon offenses. The case is now being handled by the 3rd team of the Sham Shui Po District Crime Squad for in-depth investigation.

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