Cat burglar

Meaning

A thief who sneaks in quietly to steal.

Usage

Used in crime stories or reports about sneaky break-ins.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Cats move silently, so the metaphor fits stealthy thieves.

British crime writers in the early 1900s popularized the term.