Croydon’s Cat Ripper may be keeping animal’s heads, tails as trophies

The serial cat killer of South London might be keeping his victims’ body parts as memorabilia, according to a criminologist amid concerns that the cat slayer might start killing humans too.

The sadistic killer has butchered as many as 50 animals, mostly cats, in the Croydon area of South London over the past three years with more and more cases taking place in the recent months. 

Cats are being found decapitated or disemboweled not far from their owners’ houses.

"There are some parallels with serial killers who target humans who take trophies such as watches, underwear, jewelry, or even hair,” criminologist, Dr. Adam Lynes from Birmingham City University, told Sky News. 

“And it could be the case that this person is keeping the heads and tails [of the cats] as trophies, to re-live the moment. Given that they dump the cats' bodies at - or near - the homes of the owners would suggest they like the attention,” Lynes added. 

Animal rights group PETA is offering £5,000 (US$7,200) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the “twisted individual” known as the "Cat Ripper of Croydon".

READ MORE: PETA up bounty to nab ‘twisted’ Cat Ripper of Croydon

Distraught pet owner Wayne Byrant spoke out about his loss when his cat was beheaded last October.

“My wife found her body. Her head was missing, her tail was missing. We found out afterwards that she also had a broken back,” he said. 

"I'm sure she was put there like that to have more of a shock factor because it wasn't instantly clear the head was missing. It was only after you picked her up that you realized there was no head,” Byrant went on to explain. 

Although a petition urging local authorities to hunt down the ‘Ripper’ has garnered nearly 50,000 signatures, there is still no indication that the net is closing in on the killer - or even killers.