Man accused of stealing left shoes
( 2003-10-28 15:27) (Agencies)
Police arrested a man for
stealing shoes at a southern Japanese hospital, then found a collection in his
home of 440 women’s shoes — all for the left foot.
The private hospital in Usu city, 800km south of Tokyo, began receiving
complaints two years ago from patients and employees that shoes removed at the
entrance hall were disappearing. In Japan, it is customary to remove shoes
before entering homes and some public facilities.
The missing footwear was always for the left foot and in a women’s shoe
style, a local police spokesman said Sunday.
Ichiro Irie, 45, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of having stolen two
leather shoes the previous day during one of his twice-weekly hospital visits,
the spokesman said.
In Irie’s home, police found a box in a closet overflowing with the left mate
to 440 pairs of women’s shoes, including high heels, patent leather pumps,
sandals and nurses’ shoes.
When questioned about the alleged thefts, Irie told police he had “a penchant
for women’s feet,” the Yomiuri newspaper, a major daily, said.
It was not clear why he may have preferred the left
foot.
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