Latest news with #crimewave
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
A cat named Leonardo da Pinchy doesn't want your affection. He wants to steal your underwear
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. 'My daughter was at home sick and she rang me at work saying, 'It's bad, it's bad, this is the worst thing he's brought in, it's really bad,' said Leo's owner, Helen North. 'Because it was beautiful. I was like, 'Ooh, can I keep that?' But I couldn't.' Instead, 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. 'He brought in a jersey this morning at 10 past 8,' North said. 'The shops hadn't even opened.' 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.' Still, North has tried everything to curb her cat's laundry obsession, from attempting to keep him indoors to leaving out clothes at home for him to steal. No luck. 'He only wants stuff that he shouldn't have,' she said, adding that she was also unwilling to risk an online suggestion that Leo simply needed another playmate. 'He might teach another cat to do this,' North said. 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.' For now, on the streets of Mairangi Bay, Leonardo da Pinchy remains at large.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Leonardo da Pinchy terrorises seaside town in ‘one-cat crimewave'
While most cat owners dread their pets bringing home mice, one New Zealand family faces a more unusual shame: their feline is a prolific thief. Fifteen-month-old Leo, now known as 'Leonardo da Pinchy', has become a local celebrity in Mairangi Bay for his unstoppable 'one-cat crimewave'. The feline's expensive taste has cemented his notoriety in the placid beachside neighbourhood. His frequent hauls from clotheslines and bedrooms include silk boxer shorts and thick men's work socks, often still with clothespins attached. In a particularly mortifying episode for his humans, Leo recently made off with a brand-new cashmere sweater, valued at NZ$300 New Zealand (about £145). 'My daughter was at home sick and she rang me at work saying, 'It's bad, it's bad, this is the worst thing he's brought in, it's really bad,' Leo's owner, Helen North, said. 'Because it was beautiful. I was like, 'Ooh, can I keep that?' But I couldn't.' Instead, Ms 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 five-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. 'He brought in a jersey this morning at 8.10am,' Ms North said. 'The shops hadn't even opened.' 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 recognised 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 anger Ms 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 neighbours think he's amazing,' she said. 'Some of them are quite put out that he hasn't actually stolen anything of theirs.' Still, Ms North has tried everything to curb her cat's laundry obsession, from attempting to keep him indoors to leaving out clothes at home for him to steal. No luck. 'He only wants stuff that he shouldn't have,' she said, adding that she was also unwilling to risk an online suggestion that Leo simply needed another playmate. 'He might teach another cat to do this.' Leo's life of crime began when he was first allowed outdoors a year ago. But his family hopes it is just a juvenile phase. 'I hope he grows out of it because I don't want to do this for like, 15 years,' Ms North said. 'This is a lot of admin.' For now, on the streets of Mairangi Bay, Leonardo da Pinchy remains at large.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Washington Post
A cat named Leonardo da Pinchy doesn't want your affection. He wants to steal your underwear
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — 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.
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Associated Press
A cat named Leonardo da Pinchy doesn't want your affection. He wants to steal your underwear
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — 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. 'My daughter was at home sick and she rang me at work saying, 'It's bad, it's bad, this is the worst thing he's brought in, it's really bad,' said Leo's owner, Helen North. 'Because it was beautiful. I was like, 'Ooh, can I keep that?' But I couldn't.' Instead, 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. 'He brought in a jersey this morning at 10 past 8,' North said. 'The shops hadn't even opened.' 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.' Still, North has tried everything to curb her cat's laundry obsession, from attempting to keep him indoors to leaving out clothes at home for him to steal. No luck. 'He only wants stuff that he shouldn't have,' she said, adding that she was also unwilling to risk an online suggestion that Leo simply needed another playmate. 'He might teach another cat to do this,' North said. 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.' For now, on the streets of Mairangi Bay, Leonardo da Pinchy remains at large.
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
Armed security patrols hit streets of Encino in midst of troubling crime wave
Encino homeowners are taking action to protect themselves in the midst of a troubling crime wave that has seen burglaries, robberies and murder arrive in their neighborhood last week when "American Idol" executive Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas Deluca were found shot to death inside of their home. On Monday night, just hours after neighbors joined law enforcement and other city leaders to address the rampant crime, two more homes were targeted by attempted burglars, including one belonging to former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Teddi Mellencamp. After almost two years of living on edge, some residents say they've reached a tipping point. "This was the sleepiest, friendliest, everybody knew everyone neighborhood and we left our doors open, things in the car," said one woman. Related: "American Idol" executive and husband killed with their own gun, LA County DA says Now, things couldn't be more different. Home security signs are just as ubiquitous as flowers in one's front yard, and high-tech cameras can be seen on nearly every home. Some neighbors have joined forces to pay for armed security patrols, run neighborhood watch groups and develop complex security plans. "Everybody here now has to build gates that are eight-feet tall, 10-feet tall. All the cameras, we have private security seven days a week, we also have two flock cameras recording the license plate of every car that comes down our street," said one woman who lives in the neighborhood. Homeowners say even that amount of defense doesn't appear to be enough, causing them to resort to desperate measures, especially after the double-killing last week. They're demanding more action from Los Angeles police, despite law enforcement claiming that violent crime numbers are actually down. Related: Suspect in killings of "American Idol" executive Robin Kaye and her husband charged with murder, burglary "I think the problem is there aren't enough police to deter the criminal activity that we're seeing," said Richard Mirisch, a board member on the Encino Property Owners Association. On Wednesday, LAPD officials announced that there would be extra patrols in the area, including flyovers by department aircraft and mounted patrols. They also said that detectives are working to target organized burglary crews.
