Man stole 1,500 pairs of girls' shoes to sniff, police say

By JACQUELINE SEIBEL
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE, WIS. � Police recovered more than 1,500 pairs of girls' shoes stolen from all three Waukesha, Wis., public high schools and Butler Middle School after arresting a man for 17 counts of burglary, Waukesha police Lt. William H. Graham said.

"He liked to smell them," Graham said.

The shoes, some of which had to be placed in boxes and bags, are in the department's property room, he said.

The unidentified man, 27, worked for a cable company and collected keys for the schools as he responded to calls.

According to police:

The man is accused of stealing the shoes on May 20 from girls' lockers at North and South high schools.

A security video shows a man entering North High School and leaving the school carrying some items. The video shows him place the items in the trunk of his Dodge Avenger. Police were able to track the man through the registration of his vehicle.

On May 24, police searched the man's residence and a rented storage unit where the shoes were recovered. Police also collected school yearbooks, keys, a bolt cutter and other items that may be related to the burglaries. He was taken into custody a short time later.

Police think that the man burglarized West, North and South high schools multiple times in the past two years with the intent to steal tennis shoes, as well as the middle school.

The man has previous conviction of stealing shoes from Kenosha Tremper High School in 2005.