A sneaky cat burglar has been tormenting a town by stealing dozens of clothes from unsuspecting homeowners.

Taboo, a 12-year-old black and white moggie, has nicked gloves, socks, underpants and shoes from properties across Otley, West Yorkshire.

Her owner, Sandra Danskin, 62, has now been forced to share regular pictures of the items on social media so residents can collect them.

But the carer, who works night shifts, said mischievous Taboo is rarely caught and has become a ‘master’ of her criminal trade.

She said: ‘Whenever I come home from my shift there are all sorts of things waiting for me, either dragged in through the cat flap or left on the drive.

Taboo, a 12-year-old black and white moggie, has nicked gloves, socks, underpants and shoes from properties across Otley, West Yorkshire

‘This morning I had four pairs of socks and a pair of underpants. She loves bringing back items of clothing like that, but also we’ve had a mop head and kitchen rolls.

‘We even had half a dozen eggs once, still in their box, but all broken.

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‘We think she must have taken them off someone’s doorstep when the milkman dropped them off.

‘Somebody joked to me that I should train her to go and visit the nearest Rolex watch shop.’

Sandra believes that the feline steals clothes from people’s washing lines or sneaks into their houses if doors are left open.

So far, she has only been caught once when a neighbour spotted her trying to take a T-shirt from his clothes dryer in the kitchen.

She also said the moggie is quite fastidious and brings back a ‘full set’ of anything she managed to find.

Sandra said: ‘If she brings back a sock she will always go back and get the matching one so there’s a pair.

A collection of clothing that Taboo has taken from people’s homes across Otley in West Yorkshire 

Sandra believes that Taboo (both pictured) steals clothes from people’s washing lines or sneaks into their houses if doors are left open

‘I have a box full of stuff she’s brought for me and every now and then I go on Facebook and post a photo of it all so people can claim it.’

Sandra said Taboo was originally a house cat and belonged to her daughter, Gemma.

She had honed her craft by taking items out of the clothes dryer and putting them upstairs.

Eventually, Gemma could not bear Taboo’s antics any longer, and she went to live with Sandra and her three other cats.

Now the moggie loves to let her current owner know when she’s pulled off a successful theft by emitting a signature howl.

Sandra said: ‘Whenever she gets something she sits outside and makes this high-pitched whining noise to let me know.

‘I’ve tried talking to her about it but she doesn’t change her ways. Underwear, socks, shoes… she just keeps bringing them.

‘I can’t tell you how many pairs of gardening gloves she’s brought me. She also has a bit of a strange taste for pieces of wet cardboard.

‘I’ve never heard of a cat doing anything like this before, and she shows no signs of stopping.’