In a quiet Auckland suburb, a sleek Tonkinese cat named Leonardo Da Pinchy has been committing daily acts of petty theft, and the entire neighborhood is in on the joke. From socks and gardening gloves to designer clothing and a 1.5-meter toy snake, Leo’s collection of stolen goods has turned him into a local legend.
What began as a kitten’s obsession with his human dad’s socks quickly escalated into full-blown laundry larceny. Now 16 months old, Leo can haul home up to nine items in a single sunny day. His method? Wait until the washing’s out, strike fast, and vanish over the fence with your underwear.
Meet Leonardo Da Pinchy: 16 months old, soft as silk, and wanted for over 150 counts of theft
It started small, just his human dad’s socks, tossed proudly around the lounge at 10 weeks old
At 6 months, he was allowed outside. Within days, he began raiding the neighborhood
Leo’s human, Helen North, told Bored Panda that once he turned 6 months old and was allowed outside, he immediately began hauling home other people’s socks—lots of them! “Over time, he expanded his collection to include a wider range of clothes, especially on weekends when neighbors have their fresh laundry out to dry.
“On a busy day, he can bring home 3 or 4 items in a row. His biggest haul was 9 items in one single day—it was a beautiful sunny Sunday, and we think everyone had their laundry out. He had a blast!”
Underwear, hats, gardening gloves, even baby clothes. Leo’s haul now lives in a dedicated laundry basket
“Socks were his favorite for quite a while, but now he’s moved on to undies—particularly men’s boxer shorts. He also likes merino items like pants, hoodies, baby clothes, and more.
“Surprisingly, he has a real thing for gardening gloves—he’s brought home dozens of them. Neighbors have even spotted him hiding in gardens, waiting for people to remove their gloves!”
“He’s actually locked in at night, from dusk to 7 am, to stop him from roaming or fighting with other cats. So all his stealing happens during daylight hours. Luckily, our neighbors love him and think he’s quite the character.”
His human, Helen, created a neighborhood WhatsApp group to return the loot. It’s part true crime, part treasure hunt
He once stole a brand new $300 merino jersey from inside a neighbor’s house
Helen North shared that whenever Leonardo brings something home, he just drops his “treasures” on the floor—no fanfare, no pride. “He usually goes straight back out to find more! He seems to love the thrill of the ‘steal,’ so he’s always chasing that feeling.”
After a full day of hunting boxer shorts, Leo recharges like any respectable thief—in a sunbeam
According to Helen, when he’s not causing mischief, Leonardo’s favorite thing is curling up on their laps and purring like a tractor. “He’s extremely affectionate and always wants to be involved in whatever we’re doing. Like most cats, he loves sleeping in the sun—especially after a big day of hunting undies!”
Despite his crimes, the neighborhood loves him. Let’s be honest—he’s the most entertaining neighbor they’ve got
He might steal your gloves, but he’ll also steal your heart
