In the quiet coastal community of Mairangi Bay, New Zealand, residents have learned to secure their laundry from an unexpected menace. Leo, a 15-month-old tabby cat, has earned the nickname “Leonardo da Pinchy” after launching what locals describe as a “one-cat crimewave.”
Unlike typical feline behaviour involving dead mice or birds, Leo specialises in high-end fashion theft, systematically raiding clotheslines and bedrooms across his suburban territory.
A taste for the finer things
Leo’s criminal portfolio reads like an upmarket boutique inventory. His regular hauls include silk boxer shorts, premium men’s work socks, and designer clothing items that often arrive home still adorned with clothes pegs from their original hanging spots.
The pinnacle of his thieving career came with the theft of a brand-new cashmere sweater worth approximately £145. The incident left his owner, Helen North, simultaneously mortified and impressed by her pet’s expensive taste.
“My daughter called me at work in a panic,” she recalls. “She said it was the worst thing he’d ever brought home. When I saw this beautiful cashmere piece, I have to admit I wondered if we could just keep it. But of course, we couldn’t.”
The daily crime spree
Leo’s stealing operation runs with remarkable consistency and ambition. His typical workday begins early, often before local shops open, and can yield impressive results. On his most productive day, the entrepreneurial feline returned home with nine separate items – enough clothing to assemble a complete outfit spanning everything from baby clothes to menswear.
The variety of his acquisitions tells the story of a methodical operator: mountains of socks, extensive collections of underwear, and occasionally bizarre items like a five-foot stuffed snake that presumably caught his eye during a particularly adventurous raid.
Community response and recovery operations
Faced with mounting piles of stolen goods, Ms North has developed an efficient returns system. She initially relied on neighbourhood WhatsApp groups, sending messages asking “Are these your undies?” to help reunite items with their rightful owners.
When dozens of items remained unclaimed, she expanded her search by posting photos of Leo’s hauls on local Facebook pages, complete with apologies and her home address for collection purposes.
The response revealed the full scope of Leo’s territory. Victims emerged from across the neighbourhood, including a woman who immediately recognised her distinctive pink and purple undergarments and a young athlete whose missing sports jersey was easily identifiable by the name printed on the back.
Unexpected celebrity status
Rather than rousing anger, Leo’s criminal activities have generated community amusement and even mild envy. His owner reports that neighbours find his exploits entertaining, with some expressing disappointment that he hasn’t targeted their laundry.
“All our neighbours think he’s amazing,” she explains. “Some are actually put out that he hasn’t stolen anything of theirs yet.”
The only practical consequence has been one cat-allergic resident switching to indoor drying to protect her laundry from Leo’s attention.
Failed rehabilitation attempts
Ms North has tried various strategies to curb her pet’s compulsive stealing behaviour. Indoor confinement proved ineffective, as did attempts to satisfy his acquisitive urges by leaving clothes at home for him to “steal.”
The fundamental problem appears to be Leo’s preference for forbidden items. “He only wants stuff he shouldn’t have,” his owner observes, explaining why domestic alternatives fail to satisfy his criminal instincts.
She has rejected suggestions to acquire a companion cat, fearing Leo might train an accomplice and expand his operation into a proper crime syndicate.
The Administrative Burden
Beyond the embarrassment factor, Leo’s activities have created significant logistical challenges for his family. The constant cycle of receiving stolen goods, identifying owners, and coordinating returns has become a substantial part-time job.
“I hope he grows out of it because I don’t want to do this for 15 years,” North admits. “This is a lot of admin.”
Community Impact and Adaptation
Leo’s activities have subtly changed his neighbours’ routines. Residents now factor potential feline theft into their laundry planning, with some switching to indoor drying or securing outdoor lines more carefully.
The situation has also strengthened community connections, as Ms North’s recovery efforts have introduced people who might otherwise never interact.
As Leo approaches his second birthday, his family maintains hope that maturity will reduce his criminal tendencies. However, his current success rate and apparent job satisfaction suggest he may view theft as a career rather than a phase.