Fox Steals Purse From Woman, Returns The Bag Moments Later

What happens when a fox steals a purse from an unsuspecting woman? He returns it moments later, of course. According to Digital Spy, that’s precisely what happened to Anna and Jeremy Clark while preparing for a trip to the hospital.

“We were in the [estate’s] car park and he looked at me for a few seconds before letting out this feeble yelp,” Jeremy explained to The Argus. “Next thing I knew he had my wife’s handbag in his mouth and was running towards the bushes.”

Although Jeremy attempted to get the sneaky fox to drop his wife’s purse, the woodland creature with a knack for thievery disappeared into the bushes. It was around this time that the couple started to panic. After all, a number of Anna’s possessions were inside the purse at the time.

“Anna had everything in there: her phone, money, purse, keys and letters. I couldn’t believe the fox had just taken it – it was mad. I thought that was it,” Jeremy recalled.

Just as the couple were about to give up, the fox returned to the scene of the crime with the purse in its mouth. After dropping the stolen item at Anna’s feet, the creature quickly fled the area. While Anna and Jeremy aren’t quite sure why the little guy decided to return the purse, they’re incredibly grateful that his conscience got the better of him.

Foxes are notorious thieves and have been known to swipe anything that’s not nailed down. In 2009, a treasure trove of footwear was discovered inside a foxhole on the outskirts of a small German town. According to Reuters, authorities unearthed over 100 pairs of stolen shoes inside the culprit’s home.

“There was everything from ladies’ shoes to trainers,” a spokesperson for the local police explained. “We’ve found between 110 and 120 so far. It seems a vixen stole them for her cubs to play with.”

Word of advice: If a fox steals your purse, then you might want to stick around for a moment. After all, the animal’s guilt may work in your favor.