This could well be the strangest crime stories of the year.

A grand total of 2416 pairs of shoes were lined up by Melbourne police at Epping Memorial Hall to be reunited with their sole-mates on Sunday.

The shoes, mostly work boots and sneakers, were discovered during a police raid on a Mernda home in November.

Officers allege they found rooms stuffed with shoes during the raid.

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According to a report from Steve Lillebuen at The Age, police believe the shoes had been pinched from the front doorsteps of homes in Doreen, Mernda, Watsonia North and Craigieburn under the cover of darkness.

They alleged this huuuuge load of loot had been swiped over a period of about six years.

And after months of being in police custody, the shoes were line up for members of the public to collect.

It was quite a sight.

As we learned from a report from The Age’s Ben Millar, it took roughly three hours to arrange all the shoes.

Victims of shoe theft were encouraged to come down to the hall to view the shoes and collect their stolen property.

Any shoes that go unclaimed and are in a reasonable condition will be donated to charities.

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The man accused of taking the shoes was arrested and charged with theft and handing stolen goods.

He was granted bail and is due to appear before the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on April 13.

His arrest came after a spate of shoe thefts in Melbourne’s northern suburbs which spanned back years.

Before the November raid, police believed whoever was behind the thefts was nicking work boots to resell, given they’re usually worth about $200.

But after uncovering the haul during the raid, it’s uncertain what the motive for the thefts was.

First Constable James Gardiner from the Whittlesea Crime Investigation Unit didn’t have an answer for it.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you,” he said in a video post to the Victorian Police Facebook page.

“It’s one of those things where it sort of baffles even me at times.”