Constable John Roberts sorts through the stolen shoes. Credit:Jason South Inside the man's bedroom they found about 600 pairs under the bed, in cupboards and forming piles in the corners so large the windows couldn't be opened. Hundreds more were then found inside his ensuite bathroom and in his kitchen. "They were in his kitchen cupboards, under his sinks, they were in the cupboards above the sink," Leading Senior Constable Baker said. "They were everywhere, just everywhere.

"It really looks like he's just an old man, who is harmless. He's never been in trouble with the police before and he's just got a fascination with shoes." Despite the enormous collection – which includes both men's and women's shoes - neighbours have only ever seen the man wearing one pair of shoes, he added. Police were sorting through 42 large brown bags full of shoes in a station shed on Monday afternoon. The bulk of the shoes were well-worn canvas sneakers, with only a couple pairs of more expensive looking sneakers in the mix, as well as some novelty fluffy slippers, including a pair of dolphin slippers and some Tweety bird slippers. An investigation was launched when a Kilsyth woman reported the disappearance of some shoes from her front door in December.

She later produced some closed-circuit television footage of a man allegedly stealing the shoes and then getting away on a push bike, Leading Senior Constable Baker said. Police later spotted a man on a bike, who they were able to match with the CCTV, which culminated in the search of the man's home and his arrest on Monday, he said. He immediately admitted to stealing a pair of shoes when police knocked on his door and produced a single pair, he said. "We asked him if there was any more and he said yes. He invited us into his unit and when we got in there we found roughly 1000 pairs of shoes," he said. "The majority of them are just canvas shoes that aren't very expensive and probably some people would have been happy to see the end of them."

He said there were no concerns about the man's mental health. "This is just purely someone who likes shoes," he said. The 57-year-old is expected to be charged on summons with theft of four pairs of shoes, but further charges may be added if other owners come forward. Mooroolbark Police are holding an open day on Sunday, March 29, at the station for anybody who thinks their shoes may have ended up in the haul. With Jessica Wright