A cat stole more than 150 things from neighbors, but they still love him (17 photos)

In a quiet suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, a furry thief is on the loose. Tonkinese cat Leonardo da Pinci commits petty thefts on a daily basis, and the whole neighborhood knows about it. His collection of stolen items — from socks and gardening gloves to designer clothes and a five-foot-long toy snake — has turned Leo into a local legend.





The kitten's obsession with his owner's socks has evolved into stealing his neighbor's underwear. Now, 16-month-old Leo can bring home up to nine items a day. His tactics are simple: wait until the wash is finished, act quickly and climb over the fence with the loot.

Meet Leonardo Da Pinci: He's only 16 months old and has already committed over 150 thefts



It all started small: at 10 weeks old, the fluffy one stole his owner's socks and proudly scattered them in living room







At 6 months he was allowed to go outside. A few days later, he started visiting the neighbors



Helen North, Leo's owner, said that at first the cat brought home other people's socks - lots of socks. Over time, his collection expanded to include other clothes, especially on weekends when the neighbors hung out their laundry.

"His record is nine items in one day. It was a sunny Sunday, and we think everyone had done their laundry. He was delighted!" North shares.

Leo now has a separate basket for his collection, from underwear and hats to gardening gloves and baby clothes



"For a long time, his favorite things were socks, but now he's moved on to underwear, especially men's boxers. He also appreciates merino wool items: trousers, sweatshirts, baby clothes and more. Surprisingly, he loves gardening gloves. He's already stolen dozens. Neighbors have seen him hiding in the garden, waiting for someone to take the gloves off."







"We actually lock him up at night to keep him from wandering around the house and fighting with the other cats. He does all his stealing during the day. Luckily, our neighbors love him and put up with his personality."

Helen has created a WhatsApp group where she posts stolen items and searches for their rightful owners



One day, a cat stole a brand new sweater worth $300



Whenever Leonardo brings something home, he simply scatters his "treasures" on the floor and goes back to hunting again.





Of course, after a hard day, the cat regains strength. He loves to lie on his owner's lap and purr like a tractor.

"He is very affectionate and always wants to participate in everything we do. Like most cats, he loves to sleep in the sun - especially after a long hunt for underwear!"



Despite the crimes, the people around him love the cat. Where else would you meet such an interesting neighbor?