SAITAMA (TR) – A 40-year-old man on trial for the theft of athletic shoes has been sent to prosecutors for pilfering dozens of other pairs. He told police he committed the crimes to satisfy sexual urges, Saitama Prefectural Police said, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Feb. 5).
On Tuesday, police sent Makoto Endo, of no known occupation, to prosecutors in Saitama Prefecture over the alleged theft of 64 pairs of sneakers — valued at around 300,000 yen — from an elementary school in Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture and other locations between June, 2017 and August of last year.
“I like the smell of old shoes, regardless of the gender [of the owner], and wanted to satisfy my sexual desire,” the suspect was quoted by the Hanyu Police Station.
In September, police first arrested Endo on suspicion of theft of shoes. During a search of his residence in Tochigi City, Tochigi, officers found 108 pairs of sneakers and other footwear.
