Owner Apologizes After Cat Steals $300 Haul from Neighbors

In a Nutshell:

• Harry, a cat in Darley Abbey, UK, has a habit of stealing clothing, food, and other items from neighbors, leaving his owner, Donna Hibbert, embarrassed.
• Over the past four years, Harry has brought home various stolen goods, including underwear, a designer shoe, and a pack of sausages.
• Donna Hibbert has taken to the Spotted: Darley Abbey Facebook page to post about the stolen items, hoping to return them to their rightful owners.

In the quaint village of Darley Abbey, Derby, one feline felon has made quite the name for himself.

Harry, the four-legged kleptomaniac, has been stealing clothing, food, and other items from unsuspecting neighbors for years. But now, his owner Donna Hibbert is attempting to right Harry’s wrongs by returning the stolen goods via Facebook.

Donna, both amused and embarrassed by Harry’s sticky paws, believes her cat brings these items home as presents.

She said, “I think cats like to bring their owners treats, that’s the psychology behind it.”

Harry’s taste in “treats” ranges from sausages to sports bras, and even includes a designer shoe. Donna estimates the total value of pilfered items to be around £300 (about $377).

This feline outlaw doesn’t discriminate between freshly laundered clothes on the line or items left unattended in homes.

“If he sees an opportunity, he takes it,” Donna explained.

While Harry’s brother, Luna, does have a habit of bringing home “gifts,” they tend to be of the trash variety – think chip bags and cigarette packets.

To make amends with her neighbors, Donna has taken to the Spotted: Darley Abbey Facebook page to post pictures of the stolen items. She’s determined to reunite them with their rightful owners, even if it means admitting that her cat is a bit of a cat burglar.

“I was really concerned about some poor person in the village thinking ‘I’m sure I put these out on the line’ or ‘I had these in the house’ and they’ve vanished,” she said.

The confession has brought relief to some neighbors who had been questioning their sanity.

One responded, “They’re mine, I thought I was going mad.”

Donna now has six different items bagged up and ready to be returned.

While Harry’s thieving escapades have left some neighbors less than thrilled, his story has certainly added a touch of humor and intrigue to the village of Darley Abbey.

Perhaps Harry is just doing his part to keep life interesting and remind everyone that it’s a cat’s world – we’re all just living in it.

Source: BBC