A SLY fox has left a family virtually shoeless after pinching eight pairs in the past fortnight.

The bushy-tailed burglar, who reportedly bears a resemblance to Fagin, has so far deprived the Jones family, of Beckenham, of several pairs of shoes.

At the time of going to press, there was no end in sight to his pilfering ways.

The cub's costly campaign began last month, when a pair of slippers mysteriously went missing from the Jones's porch.

When it happened again with a different item of footwear a week later mum-of-two Julia, who lives with husband Tony, son Paul and daughter Alexandra, suspected it may have been the work of a cat burglar with a shoe fetish.

It was only when she caught the cunning animal red-handed the following day the picture became clear.

The 53-year-old teacher, of Eden Way, said: "The fox is as bold as brass.

"He comes into our living room if the door's open.

"I threw a slipper at him to shoo him away but after fleeing he came back five minutes later and took the slipper with him.

"He's got expensive tastes, as he goes for our best shoes."

In a desperate bid to retrieve his belongings, Paul, 17, sent a note to his neighbours, one of whom contacted News Shopper, in the hope the family would be reunited with their long-lost footwear.

It reads: "Dear neighbours, we're desperate to hear if you have any of our shoes.

"We've been visited by the local fox, who's developed a penchant for our footwear.

"We've found some but are still a number of shoes down and are pleading for any of you who've received a smelly gift on your doorstep to return it to the barefooted Jones's."

So far the family has had few responses to their plea for help on the shoe front.

Mrs Jones now fears the shoes may currently be lining the fox's den.

An RSPCA spokesman said the fox may have been attracted to the house by the smell of food and taken a shoe as a consolation prize.

He said: "The best way to avoid unwanted visitors is to ensure no food scraps are left around."