A man wanted by police for stealing women's underwear has been caught on a security camera.

The man allegedly removed several pairs of women's underwear from a clothes line at the back of a house on Veronica Street in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote on November 4.

Police believe it is not the first time the man has stolen the knickers.

They are looking for a Caucasian man in his mid-30s, with a medium build and short brown hair which is thinning on top.

He was wearing a light-coloured hooded top and jeans.