A cheeky otter stunned a fisherman when it swiped a fish straight out of his pile of fresh catch in a daylight river raid.

The furry thief made its move in the city of Vorkuta, in the Komi Republic in northern Russia, as the angler tended to his gear on the Vorkuta River on Friday, 16th May.

In a short clip now making waves on Russian social media, the slippery bandit can be seen sniffing around and then making off with a fish clasped firmly in its jaws.

As the fisherman does not react, it apparently changes its mind and drops the fish a few feet ahead, then comes back and picks out the biggest one before it runs off again.

Locals say sightings of otters in the area are rare, but the Vorkuta River is known for its trout and grayling, which likely attracted the hungry animal.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)