Otter Steals Surfboard, On Video

There was a robbery caught on camera in Santa Cruz ... committed by an otter!

It was just about the cutest mugging you'll ever see ... The video, posted Tuesday, starts with the otter already on top of the board with the surfer underneath.

In an attempt to encourage the otter off the board, the surfer flips it, sending the otter back into the water, which you would think would be the end of it ... but nope! The otter is persistent.

The marine mammal hops right back on the board, apparently for good this time, because the little guy looked to be very comfortable as the poor "victim" drifted farther away.