Purr-petrator

An unlikely purr-petrator: Meet Dusty, the cat burglar who has stolen hundreds of gloves, towels and shoes from neighbours

He’s been caught stealing hundreds of items from homes, so you’d have thought police would have locked up this prolific burglar by now.

But the strange thing about Dusty is not that he’s only aged five years old. It’s that he’s a cat.

The feline from San Mateo, California, has stolen gloves, towels, shoes and many other items from households since owner Jean Chu adopted him from the Humane Society.

Naughty: Prolific cat burglar Dusty, of San Mateo, California, has stolen gloves, towels, shoes and many other items since owner Jean Chu adopted him from the Humane Society

Stolen stash: Dusty the cat sits among the toys and other items he has stolen from neighbours

Sitting pretty: Dusty hangs out in one of his favourite places at home - the upstairs bathroom sink

Dusty has a special love for swimsuits - and neighbour Kelly McLellan says he stole her bikini on two separate trips. She said he appeared focused on keeping the ensemble.

Experts say Dusty's predatory instincts have gone astray, leaving him hunting for other people's items. The cat's thieving has made him a minor celebrity.

Neighbours were mystified for years as their possessions went missing and had feared they were being targeted by a real criminal.

Minor celebrity: Dusty's owners, Jean Chu and Jim Coleman, are pictured with their cat on the Letterman show

Huge haul: Dusty has stolen piles of more than 600 items - and even pulled an incredible bounty of 11 household items from nearby homes in a single evening

Collection: Jim Coleman and his wife Jean Chu, the owners of Dusty the cat, stack piles of items that their cat has brought home over the years to their house

'It's extreme, but it's absolutely adorable,' cat behaviour expert Marilyn Krieger said.

She told the San Francisco Chronicle he has a 'form of OCD' and neurological problems.

Ms Chu's husband Jim Coleman said Dusty something brings home 'expensive' things. 'I get a little worried about that,' he added.

Burglar: Dusty has a special love for swimsuits and is also known to steal stuffed toys from local residents

Glove: Cat experts say Dusty's predatory instincts have gone astray, leaving him hunting for people's stuff

Steal: Neighbours keep a watch for the cat but his victims do not intend to file police reports

It is estimated Dusty, a brown-and-white moggy, has stolen more than 600 items - and once even pulled an incredible bounty of 11 household items from nearby homes in a single evening.

Neighbours keep a watch for the cat but his victims do not intend to file police reports. They say that when something goes missing they simply visit Dusty's owners.

His crime sprees emerged when The Animal Planet television show 'Must Love Cats' installed a camera outside the house and captured his nightly forays for a week.