A Gisborne home owner whose clothes drying rack was repeatedly targeted by a thief sought help from police to nab the culprit.
They set up covert cameras to capture the thief - and were shocked when they learned the identity of the brazen thief.
The criminal mastermind turned out to be a small ginger cat.
The Eastern District Police shared the quirky crime tale on their Facebook page this afternoon.
"Police received a report from a concerned Gisborne property owner whose clothes dryer was being repeatedly targeted overnight for items including underwear, socks and tops," the post said.
"Police set up a motion-activated camera and waited for the culprit to return.
"The offender obviously thought they were committing the purr-fect crime and soon appeared again, but this time they were snapped in the act.
"The footage established that the purr-petrator was small, with ginger hair and used a specific modus operandi of grabbing items of clothing in their mouth before sneaking off into the night."
The humorous and pun-laden post continued.
"Although the cat is out of the bag for this offender, Eastern District claw enforcement officers are still trying to establish a motive.
"It is possible the items were being stolen for a comfy catnap."
Police said the case showed how important it was to report crime or suspicious activity.
"Another reminder to report any offence, so police can look into it – and please keep an eye out for any unusual items your feline friends bring home," they said.