Mystery of the missing shoes solved, elderly couple nabbed

An elderly couple will be doing a bit of sole searching after performing quite a feet: stealing up to 70 pairs of shoes from Baoshan District.

The district police said they have received several reports of missing shoes from the residents in Zhangmiao subdistrict since the beginning of April.

In all cases the shoes went missing from shoe-shelves placed outside apartments in residential complexes, usually early in the morning.

Suspicion was soon placed on a married couple who are about 60 years old.

The suspects allegedly committed the thefts between 6am and 10am, when the woman stealing shoes from the shelves would pass them over to the man waiting outside.

They were caught red-handed a few days ago with 27 pairs of stolen shoes.

The suspects have allegedly owned up and confessed to having stolen over 70 pairs of leather shoes and sneakers to sell on the street.

The woman suspect, surnamed Chai, said she and her husband have no income and thus turned to stealing, police said.