At any given time, you could have a clever little thief sitting right next to you and never know it until it’s too late. I’m talking about dogs, obviously, and their unabashed, bold, and downright audacious attempts to take things right before our very eyes, then pretend they did nothing wrong.

For instance, Winnie, the Golden Retriever, is wanted in five counties for his sock-stealing habit (allegedly), but he’s so cute, we think he should get a pass.

In a video shared by @winniethegolden10, the curious Golden Retriever investigates this new-to-him sock drawer. Once he finds the stash Mom’s been hiding, all bets are off.

As his attorney, I can say Winnie was clearly framed for crimes he didn’t commit. The dog sneaking things in this video may or may not be him… who’s to say, really? This is an open-and-shut case because this boy is INNOCENT!

Lucky for Winnie, fans are on his side, with many echoing the very true fact that Winnie was not in any way involved with any supposed missing socks. He wasn’t even there—he was on a work trip overseas—so this fraud posing as Winnie only to get him in trouble is the one Mom wants.

Related: Golden Retriever Realizes New Puppy Is Spending the Night and the Panic Is Real

Retrievers Love Retrieving

Should Mom like to take this case all the way to the top, it’s worth repeating that Retrievers of all varieties (Goldens, Labs, etc.) were born to retrieve. Like an itch they have to scratch, these hard-working dogs will find something to grab. If they don’t have a distinct job, they’re bound to get into things in search of an item to steal.

The sock drawer is in a pretty convenient, Winnie-level place, so shouldn’t that be on Mom? Anyway, Winnie is a pro at the Retriever trait, even taking his stick for a walk when he gets the chance.

You can take the dog out of retrieving, but not retrieving out of the dog… or something like that! As for sweet Winnie and his case, I’d say that’s a wrap. He’s completely innocent, which means there’s still a sock criminal out there somewhere (lock up your drawers)!

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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Feb 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.