Police said Robert Van Wagner stole a pair of socks from a cheerleader because he needed them for a 'project.'
Florida police worked their socks off to solve this bizarre crime.
A man stole a pair of socks from a cheerleader — and it's the second time the thief has been tangled up in bizarre sock crimes, police said.
Police charged Robert Van Wagner with robbery after he nabbed the socks from a girl outside of Port St. Lucie Park, Tampa's WTSP reported.
The girl was taking a break from cheer practice when Van Wagner approached her and asked if he could have the socks she was holding, police said. He said he needed them for a project.
The girl said no.
Van Wagner was undeterred
He started to grab the socks, but the cheerleader pulled away. He begged her for the socks, police said, and was finally able to pry them from her hands.Then, he put them in his pocket and walked away. Police caught Van Wagner because he was arrested two years earlier for another sock-related crime. In 2012, he stopped three girls, pulled out pairs of socks and asked if they'd put them on and run in them. When officers showed the cheerleader a photo from his previous arrest, she was able to identify Van Wagner as the sock snatcher.
In 2012, he gave socks (not these) to little girls and asked the juveniles to run around while wearing them, police said.