Man Who Stole 93 Pounds Of Women's Panties Admits He Has A Problem

[matcom]

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PULLMAN, Wash. -- A man who reportedly said he has "a problem" was charged with theft and burglary after police said they found 93 pounds of women's panties, brassieres and other underwear at his home in this college town.

Investigators believe Garth M. Flaherty, 24, took as many as 1,500 undergarments from apartment complex laundry rooms before he caught, police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said.

A man was seen taking underwear from two laundry rooms Saturday, a witness recorded his license number, Flaherty was identified from a photographic montage and police found enough underwear to fill five garbage bags in his bedroom, Tennant said.

"He said he had a problem," Tennant said.

Flaherty has been jailed on charges of 12 counts of second-degree burglary and one of first-degree theft.

Police had previously received 12 reports of panty thefts in the northeast part of this town, the part of town where Washington State University is located.

"We were kind of concerned about how to match up bras and panties with victims," Tennant said. "Based on the unique descriptions from a couple of women, we can tie him to those thefts."

The underwear will be held as evidence until the case is resolved, after which their disposition is uncertain, Tennant said.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WA_BRF_Underwear_Thief.html