Crazy crime spree leads to 4-legged suspect spotted on New Orleans security footage
A strange New Orleans crime spree involving thefts of under garments took a bizarre turn last week when security camera footage caught the suspect red handed with a sock in his mouth.
The culprit, identified as Admiral Galacticat, 4, is a house cat belonging to Heather Bardi in the Metairie neighborhood.
Bardi outed her “kleptomaniac cat” June 26 on Facebook, when she issued a confession on his behalf and an apology. She also offered to return the socks, boxer shorts, tank top and other items that he stole.
“First, I thought a drunk just left stuff on my patio since the Lamp Lighter (lounge) is right up the street and drunk people are often seen stumbling home in the wee hours,” she posted.
“Anyway, I got security cameras and lo and behold, it’s my cat that is stealing someone’s clean laundry and bringing it home. ... I’m sure someone is at home scratching their head as to where their clothes keep disappearing to.”
Bardi shared video of Admiral walking past her front door with a piece of clothing in his mouth. She says clothes were continuing to show up even after she confessed his guilt on a neighborhood social network site and on Facebook.
“If you would like to retrieve your items, I have been collecting them and I will wash them again cause (of) cat spit,” she wrote. “You are welcome to come by and grab the bag and shame my a---hole cat if he is around.”
It’s unclear how many neighbors were victimized, or whether Admiral was getting inside homes or found a dryer in someone’s garage.
Bardi’s story was just strange enough to start circulating on social media, where it came to the attention of The Times-Picayune. The newspaper’s story — headlined “Metairie woman’s cat caught swiping neighbors’ clothes” — featured a photo of the guilty gray and white cat with his head bowed and eyes closed.
Social media reaction has largely been sympathetic to Admiral Galactic, including some who admitted being impressed with his new reputation as a criminal mastermind. Several admitted their cats stole things, too.
“I feel as if you could turn that into a small children’s book,” Alyssa Hujber posted on Bardi’s Facebook page. “This is the (stuff) you only see on TV.”
As for what suddenly prompted Admiral to turn to a life of crime, Bardi offered an explanation.
The coronavirus pandemic forced her to stay home more than the Admiral liked, so he began spending more time outside. “Now, he just loves to roam around playing with the other rando cats in the neighborhood,” she posted.
So, another good cat gone bad due to hanging out with the wrong crowd.
This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 8:08 AM with the headline "Crazy crime spree leads to 4-legged suspect spotted on New Orleans security footage."