Keep an eye on your drawers when this sneaky cat burglar is on the prowl.

Bailey the cat has been causing mischief around Newhaven by stealing pants, socks and tights from other people’s homes.

This knickers nicker doesn’t paws for thought about entering neighbours’ homes and stealing their underwear.

Now his owner Ruth Mason wants to return his ill-gotten puss-in-booty to his unsuspecting victims in the Lewes Road area of the town.

Four year-old Bailey picked up his criminal habit three months ago and has purr-loined more than 30 items so far.

Mother-of-two Ms Mason said: “We don’t know where it’s all coming from. “I don’t think it’s from washing lines because Bailey often brings them in pairs and you don’t tend to hang socks in pairs.

“I think he must be going into somebody’s sock or pants drawer or their dirty washing basket to get them.

“This is quite recent behaviour, it’s been in the last three months that he started bringing something in.

“But it’s better than him bringing in birds or rats.”

The 48-year-old said she always believed Bailey was a home cat who never ventured far from their garden.

However, having checked with her immediate neighbours she now believes he has been travelling further afield.

She added: “His eyes shift a bit, I think inherently he is a burglar.

“I’ll be sitting having my dinner and then my lamb chop will go missing.

“He’s what I call a retriever cat, throw him something and he will bring it back to you.

“His favourite thing is beer bottle tops, you tell him to go fetch his top and he will bring it back to your feet.

“He’s not quite the full ticket.”

Animal behaviourist Tanya Jeffery, from Courteous Cats n Dogs Behaviour Referrals, said: “It’s not a common problem although I have had one cheeky cat who used to go into bedrooms and steal hairbrushes and blusher brushes.

“It does tend to be the pure breeds who do more idiosyncratic behaviour.

“There might be something about the way they smell that is intriguing him.”

If you are missing socks, pants and tights from the Newhaven area, contact neil.vowles@theargus.co.uk or call 01273 544530 and we can put you in contact with bailey's owner.