A week ago, a beloved bodega cat was abducted outside the shop in footage captured by a surveillance video. After the bizarre kidnapping made the news, the missing feline was returned to his home in Brooklyn, New York.
On July 29th, New York’s Green Olives Deli & Grill owners had an unpleasant surprise. Their beloved cat Boka disappeared.
A review of video surveillance cameras showed a man snatching the feline outside the local shop and walking away. Â
Boka is taken
Little Boka had recently become an unofficial mascot in the deli. As CBS reports, the bodega owners adopted the kitten at just two weeks old.
They subsequently named him Kediboka, also known as Boka. Green Olives Deli & Grill customers would often spot the pussy cat roaming the shop.
Co-owner Abdulmajeed Albahri even created an Instagram account for his kitten, making him a local star. Albahri said:
“People coming to take pictures with the cat, sometimes spending hours with the cat,”
The bodega’s clients had also grown accustomed to the feline. Park Slope resident Annie Caltrider added:
“He became part of our routine and part of our family. If we were in a bad mood, we’d come to see the cat.”
Consequently, when Albahri shared news of Boka’s theft last week, the situation understandably upset the whole neighborhood. Customers, neighbors, and followers on social media all offered assistance in searching for the puss.
Boka’s owners also uploaded the video footage of the kidnapping. Surveillance footage shows a man in khakis, a white T-shirt, and a hat.
The clip begins with the suspect entering the bodega. He is staring at Boka as he leaves the store. Then, just around the corner, he takes him up and walks away.
The bodega cat is back
A week later, the situation reached an unforeseen conclusion. A man, supposedly a friend of the cat snatcher, reached out to the deli owners on social media after seeing posts of the missing cat.
The friend said the person who stole Boka wanted to give the feline back but wished to remain anonymous. In a surprising turn of events, he brought Boka to the home of some locals living in the area.
These folks then returned the cat home to the bodega on Friday afternoon. Green Olives Deli & Grill in Park Slope posted a photo of Kediboka, informing fans of the happy conclusion.
The bodega cat was back where he belonged.
Boka’s return to the deli made owners and clients happier than ever. However, the cat’s owner is no longer taking chances with his pet. Abdulmajeed said:
“From now on, I think I’m just gonna take him home. So we both finish our shift, and we just go home.