Police say Delaware shoe bandit under arrest

Newark police believe they have arrested the Delaware shoe bandit. Thousands of shoes were taken by police from the home of a 46 year old man.

Newark Police have arrested a man in connection with at least 25 burglaries involving men’s shoes.

Walter Rubican, 46 of Newark, was arrested after a witness was able to tie a yellow Mitsubishi Eclipse to the scene of one of the burglaries.  Three truck loads of shoes and photographs were taken from Rubican’s home.  Police haven’t finished their count, but estimate thousands of shoes he had thousands of shoes in his possession.

He is being charged with burglaries which go back to December 31, 2005.  The latest, police report, happened on January 12, 2010.   Also recovered were a number of guitars, snow boards, college fraternity pictures, and sports equipment.  Police speculate Rubican could have been involved in shoe thefts going back 20 years.

A number of shoes turned up last weekend near Little Elk Creek in Elkton, Md.   Police say those shoes were also taken by Rubican.   He remains in jail on bail which was set at $138,000 cash.

Police hope to have an inventory of everything taken by the end of the week.