Crooked-toothed thief snatches Hove schoolgirl's shoe from her foot

A 13-year-old schoolgirl had the shoe she was wearing stolen by a robber as she walked to class.

The youngster, a pupil at Hove Park School, was walking along an alleyway at 8.15am yesterday with a friend when the crooked-toothed man approached her. It is believed he made a grab the girl’s foot, took off her shoe and fled.

A woman, believed to be the girl’s mother, said the two girls had spoken to police officers at their school.

Writing on Facebook she said: “Both girls are fine – they’re talking to the police at school now.

“Scary stuff – you always think they’re safe going to school.”

A police source said it was not believed that the bizarre attack, which took place in the alleyway near Sainsbury’s in Benfield Valley, Hove, was an attempted abduction.

She added it was not thought that the girl lost her footwear while running away, and officers were investigating why a grown man had decided to steal a teenage girl’s school shoes.

A Sussex Police spokeswoman yesterday said: “The man is described as being between 18 and 25, about 5ft 9in and skinny with brown hair, crooked teeth, no facial hair and prominent cheekbones. He was wearing a blue coat with the hood up and light brown or beige chino trousers.”

Hove Park headteacher Derek Trimmer said: “An isolated incident has been reported. Police are investigating.

“We have reiterated to parents, carers and students the importance of taking extra care when travelling to and from school.”

Anyone with information should contact Sussex Police on 101.

Comments(15)

Ligand Fields says...
3:05pm Wed 4 Jul 12

"officers were investigating why a grown man had decided to steal a teenage girl’s school shoes" - er, he's clearly a shoe-fetishist, duh. Doubtless these officers will be visiting a great many specialist websites as part of their research into this area.

Ligand Fields says...
3:07pm Wed 4 Jul 12

I am deeply alarmed by the "crooked teeth" aspect here - all it would take would be for the shoe-theif to also be wearing a yellow macintosh, and we would clearly be into the realms of "The Twin Face of Evil" from the HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR. Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh.

plantwoman says...
3:09pm Wed 4 Jul 12

Was he a one-legged shoe thief then?

Number Six says...
3:13pm Wed 4 Jul 12

plantwoman wrote:
Was he a one-legged shoe thief then?
With very small feet!

BiggerH says...
3:16pm Wed 4 Jul 12

Ligand Fields wrote:
I am deeply alarmed by the "crooked teeth" aspect here - all it would take would be for the shoe-theif to also be wearing a yellow macintosh, and we would clearly be into the realms of "The Twin Face of Evil" from the HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR. Arrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
thanks a lot for bringing that up - no sleep for me tonight!

Lady Smith says...
3:24pm Wed 4 Jul 12

I bet she's hopping mad.

GIVE UP says...
3:42pm Wed 4 Jul 12

Does anyone believe this fairy tale?

Ligand Fields says...
3:47pm Wed 4 Jul 12

GIVE UP wrote:
Does anyone believe this fairy tale?
everyone except you, it seems.

Crystal Ball says...
3:53pm Wed 4 Jul 12

plantwoman wrote:
Was he a one-legged shoe thief then?
Surely not Heather Mills?

vogon1 says...
4:12pm Wed 4 Jul 12

Sounds to me like the 'robber' has a shoe/schoolgirl fetish. Probably sniffing it now as we speak.....

A few years back, there was a man who stole leather items from women in the street ( purses,shoes,gloves etc ) He even stole one womans leather trousers!
There sure are some weirdos out there!

puddingandpi says...
6:22pm Wed 4 Jul 12

What a freak! Hope the girls are ok & too freaked out.

Thatsjustyummy says...
9:43pm Wed 4 Jul 12

vogon1 wrote:
Sounds to me like the 'robber' has a shoe/schoolgirl fetish. Probably sniffing it now as we speak.....

A few years back, there was a man who stole leather items from women in the street ( purses,shoes,gloves etc ) He even stole one womans leather trousers!
There sure are some weirdos out there!
Nail hit squarely on the head.

Fairly 'unusual' descrpition. Can't take dear old Plod to put together a few keywords in what was OIS and come up with a 'crooked toothed paedo with a foot fetish' that is known and is from, or recently moved to that area.

COULD be a harmless shoe/foot fetish, which is not uncommon. But from a young girl that adds another element of more than likely sinister behaviour.

Come on plod, even in my day we'd be able to look through index cards and probably get a few matches as to this type of offender profile.

Thatsjustyummy says...
9:43pm Wed 4 Jul 12

vogon1 wrote:
Sounds to me like the 'robber' has a shoe/schoolgirl fetish. Probably sniffing it now as we speak.....

A few years back, there was a man who stole leather items from women in the street ( purses,shoes,gloves etc ) He even stole one womans leather trousers!
There sure are some weirdos out there!
Nail hit squarely on the head.

Fairly 'unusual' descrpition. Can't take dear old Plod to put together a few keywords in what was OIS and come up with a 'crooked toothed paedo with a foot fetish' that is known and is from, or recently moved to that area.

COULD be a harmless shoe/foot fetish, which is not uncommon. But from a young girl that adds another element of more than likely sinister behaviour.

Come on plod, even in my day we'd be able to look through index cards and probably get a few matches as to this type of offender profile.

leahlou says...
10:29pm Wed 4 Jul 12

Ligand Fields wrote:
GIVE UP wrote:
Does anyone believe this fairy tale?
everyone except you, it seems.
Does anyone believe this fairy tale?

yep it happened to me a while ago with a man of a similar description. i've passed the details on to the police this evening so they can pick it up on cctv hopefully. hope the girls are ok

no1bellieh says...
10:36am Thu 5 Jul 12

I cannot believe how light hearted and comical you are making this sound!!! The young girl is my friends daughter and i can assure you its very serious and obvious that when he grabbed her he failed and just got her shoe!!! he was prob after more than just her shoe as you are all making it sound!!! You are all just as bad as he is, the young girl is shaken up and not walking to school as a result. have a heart people!!!

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