Watch out - Nemo's about

Cat burglar commits purr-fect crimes

MEET Nemo, the incorrigible cat burglar with a taste for fine dining.

But watch out... for this feline felon could be coming through a cat flap near you.

Nemo’s long-suffering owner, Debbie Hollister, is at her wits’ end after the four-year-old family pet began raiding her neighbours’ homes to steal packets of cat food.

And not just any old brands, either – Nemo particularly favours upmarket varieties such as Gourmet Perle featuring prime cuts of duck and shrimp.

Mrs Hollister, who lives at Wash Common, said: “It’s so embarrassing.

“Last week he brought home six pouches of cat food – that’s half a box.

“He brings them indoors, all proud of his ‘catch’ – but when I take them from him he just goes and steals more.

“He’s starting to get fat.”

Nemo has even perfected the art of opening cupboards by pulling the handles so he can raid the contents.

Mother-of-two Mrs Hollister, who works at Tesco Extra, even turned detective, following her wayward pet as he prowled.

She said: “I saw him go through one cat flap and I wrote an anonymous letter to the occupants apologising and asking them to hide their cat food.

“It seemed to work and for a while Nemo went back to hunting mice.”

But wildlife takes effort to catch because it won’t oblige by keeping still.

And, far from being reformed, it seems Nemo was simply waiting for the heat to subside.

He is now back to his old tricks, and Mrs Hollister regularly comes home to find evidence of Nemo’s kitty kleptomania in the form of ripped open cat food pouches strewn in the garden.

She said: “All I can do is say how sorry we are about his behaviour. And please, if you think our Nemo has been raiding your home, put the cat food somewhere safe.”

Somewhere very safe.