Police arrest man for stealing over 70 shoes he sniffed for pleasure

A middle-aged man has been arrested for stealing over 70 pairs of shoes that he sniffed for "sexual pleasure", according to reports.

Makoto Endo, 40, nicked the footwear in Tochigi and Saitama, eastern Japan, because he enjoyed "sniffing the smell of well-worn shoes".

Endo admitted he did not mind if they were men's or women's shoes.

According to local media, the suspect is currently on trial for the multiple thefts after police found a large number of shoes at his home.

He reportedly had a fetish for footwear and enjoyed getting his kicks from the odour.

Endo is believed to have stolen over 70 pairs of shoes worth around £2,100 in Tochigi and Saitama between June 2017 and August 2018, according to local media.

Endo told the police: "I did it to get sexual pleasure by sniffing the smell of well-worn shoes, regardless of their owners being men or women."

Cops arrested the defendant in September last year after suspecting him of being behind a large number of shoe thefts.

During a search at his home, officers seized a large amount of footwear.

It is unclear how the suspect stole so many pairs of used shoes to sniff in his private time.