Leonardo Da Pinchy Wants To Steal Your Underwear

[Sugar Cookie]

Most cat owners dread their pets bringing home mice or birds. But for the owners of one felonious feline in Auckland, New Zealand, there’s a worse shame — being the unwitting accomplice to an unstoppable one-cat crimewave.

His prolific laundry-pinching from clotheslines and bedrooms in the placid beachside neighborhood of Mairangi Bay has turned 15-month-old Leo into a local celebrity and earned him a new moniker. He now goes by Leonardo da Pinchy.

And he’s got expensive taste. His frequent hauls include silk boxer shorts, thick men’s work socks — preferably with clothespins still attached — and in one mortifying episode for his humans, a brand-new 300 New Zealand dollar ($181) cashmere sweater.

North turned to a neighborhood WhatsApp group to return Leo’s stolen goods to their rightful owners. Her usual message: “Are these your undies?”

But the pilfered stash kept piling up: socks (piles), underwear (loads) and even a 5-foot-long stuffed snake (bizarre). On one record-setting day, Leo returned with nine items, enough for a full outfit if you didn’t mind a mix of everything from baby clothes to menswear.

With dozens of items unclaimed, the embarrassed owner took her search for Leo’s victims wider this month, posting photos of his hauls on a local Facebook page along with an apology and her address. Those who showed up to claim their belongings included a woman who recognized her pink and purple underpants and a boy whose beloved and missing sports jersey was helpfully identifiable by his name printed on the back.

The ire North expected over Leo’s cat burgling antics didn’t eventuate — although one of his targets, who is allergic to cats, now dries her laundry indoors.

“All of our neighbors think he’s amazing,” she said. “Some of them are quite put out that he hasn’t actually stolen anything of theirs.”

Leo’s life of crime began when he was first allowed outdoors a year ago. But his family hopes it’s just a juvenile phase.

“I hope he grows out of it because I don’t want to do this for like, 15 years,” North said. “This is a lot of admin.”

 

[cubby]

First of all, Leonardo is gorgeous and that will excuse most of his escapades. But really, does anybody think that Leonardo is remorseful for being a collector of all things he desires? Nope not a bit.

 

[BBBLUE77]

That face says it all. "Yeah, so? WTF you gonna do about it, eh?"