World's longest rabbit is 'rabbitnapped'

One of the world's largest rabbits has been stolen from his home in England. Darius, a continental giant rabbit, is the current Guinness record holder as the longest rabbit in the world. From nose to tail, he measures 129cm in length. Police say he was abducted from his pen late Saturday evening. Local police said in a statement: "It is believed the rabbit was stolen from its enclosure in the garden of the property of its owners overnight on Saturday. We are appealing for information following the theft." Darius' distraught owner has offered a $2,750 reward for the safe return of her beloved pet. She pleaded for his safe return and told the rabbitnappers that Darius was too old to be bred.

Darius' disappearance comes amid a spike in pet thefts in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic. Darius' owner has made an impassioned appeal to those who made off with her rabbit. She said: "Every animal is an individual that can't be replaced, and it's just so upsetting because he is such a loveable character." The police said Darius' abduction was a high-profile case as the animal was a celebrity in England and has made dozens of TV appearances. They believe the abductors have a potential "ulterior motive," and that it could be the work of organized criminals who knew his commercial value. The UK's policing minister Kit Malthouse called animal theft a "vile crime" and promised to crack down on it.