Man walks into shop, Batman walks out

An alleged theft at a shop in NSW's Hunter region has taken a comic turn with police arresting and charging a man with stealing a Batman costume.

Police say the man entered the closed shop in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Cardiff at about 9pm (AEDT) on Tuesday and walked out wearing the caped crusader costume and a bride-to-be sash.

But a police investigation has allegedly unmasked the offender.

On Wednesday, police executed a search warrant at a home in Cardiff where they allegedly seized the Batman costume and bridal sash.

A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with stealing and entering enclosed land.

He was granted bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on March 26.