Panty thief on the loose

Durban - A panty thief has been harassing a KwaZulu-Natal community near Durban in South Africa, according to a report on Tuesday.

Women in Phoenix, north of Durban, have seen a well-dressed man walk up to their washing lines and take their panties, the Sowetan newspaper reported.

One woman had lost seven panties to the man, while another woman said the thief stole her panties but left behind her mother-in-law's briefs.

"It is obvious that he is getting some sort of sexual pleasure from this because he only steals sexy lingerie," she said.

"It's sickening. It is theft but I don't think the police will waste their time looking for him, so I have not laid a complaint."

Durban-based clinical psychologist Cathrin Venter told the newspaper that stealing panties was part of a sexual fetish linked to observing or handling underwear worn by others.

"I have many patients who come for counselling when they have been caught," she said.

"They do it because they want a signed document to say that they are seeking counselling to lessen their penalty."

Venter said buying panties would not be as pleasurable as stealing them for those with the fetish.