The eight-armed bandit in camouflage mode. Kelly Tarltons’ Shannon Hull says octopuses like to collect shiny things to decorate their dens. Photos Sarah Parkinson-Howe

It’s rare for the victim of a theft that left them stranded to describe the experience as “amazing” and “magical.” But it’s also rare for the culprit to be an octopus.

Sarah Parkinson-Howe and her children, eight-year-old Seb and five-year-old Grace, were enjoying a day at a popular local beach when the cephalopod crook struck. Sarah says they were exploring the rocks and some intertidal pools when Seb started visibly vibrating with excitement and calling them over. “I spotted the octopus when Seb put his hand in the pool, and it becomes curious and starts creeping up and touched his hand.”

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