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Police nab man accused of stealing panties

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Wednesday, Dec 27, 2006 - 06:18:38 pm CST

In what arguably could be one of Lincoln’s strangest cases of the year, police arrested a man they believe stole panties at an apartment complex.

It wasn’t just that the underwear had been taken from the community laundry room, it was what had been done to them that bothered investigators.

Police began hearing about strange things happening to underwear at 231 Adams St. on Dec. 21, when they took an unusual report from a 22-year-old woman from the complex.

Story Photo
Edwards

She said when she went to get her clothes from the laundry room she found someone had cut out the crotch of two pairs of her underwear.

Police talked to other women at the apartment complex and found she wasn’t the only one.

Officer Katherine Finnell said in all five women told police about underwear found in the laundry room with pornographic pictures; underwear left hanging on one woman’s doorknob; and others left wet, as if urinated on.

One woman told police that after her apartment was burglarized recently, she discovered someone had cut out pieces of some panties in her dresser. A couple of weeks before that, someone left pornographic photos with her laundry.

Two other women said they found pornographic pictures left with their laundry, too.

Police Sgt. Jim Davidsaver said it caught their attention because it was the type of thing that could indicate disturbing, and criminal, future behavior.

Canvassing the neighbors led to a lead for police, Finnell said. One woman described a man she’d seen urinating in the laundry room.

She said that led police to James D. Edwards, 25, who lives in the complex.

Tuesday night they arrested him on suspicion of theft by unlawful taking, disturbing the peace and three counts of criminal mischief.

Three hours later he was released and is set for court Jan. 16.

Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.


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Jack wrote on December 27, 2006 3:04 pm:
" What ever happened to people just stealing things?? That must not be politically correct anymore. Roget must be rolling over in his grave! "

 Super sleuth wrote on December 27, 2006 3:48 pm:
" This behavior caught the attention of LPD because in "could indicate disturbing, and criminal, future behavior." YA THINK??!!! You just can't put anything over on local law enforcement.. . . . "

 roxanne wrote on December 27, 2006 6:30 pm:
" why can't people just leave things alone that don't belong to them. What happened to those days???? "

 Lindsay wrote on December 27, 2006 8:55 pm:
" I'm not saying all panty theifs are serial killers, but many serial killers previously stole and desecrated panties in this fashion. Just to think he's been released from jail....what a scary guy! "

 what? wrote on December 27, 2006 9:52 pm:
" This guy was released? He should've been taken to the crisis center. Stay outta the laundry room and lock your doors ladies. "

 Yogi wrote on December 27, 2006 10:23 pm:
" Sick and disturbing. "

 Ben Thar wrote on December 28, 2006 8:07 am:
" This is not a silly sounding crime. I worked with a kook about 10 years ago who started stealing womens panities. Shortly after the panty thing he started breaking into womens houses and raping them. None of us knew what was going on untill he was arrested. He is now serving time in the Nebraska state pen. He terrorized the women in Columbus before he was caught. This guy needs to be put away from sane society, he will progress from here and will be dangerous, sicko's get worse not better! "

 Mike wrote on December 28, 2006 9:05 am:
" Many years ago there was a man in Hastings that went around breaking into women's homes and stealing their panties. Women then started waking up to find this man either kneeling at the bottom of their beds with a pair of panties over his face (like a mask) or crawling on top of them and raping them. This man raped several women and terrorized many more. This mas was married and had a family. I don't think the Police initially take these odd reports and complaints seriously. The first time someone reported an incident regarding the panties being messed with, the Police should have installed a small camera... (that's easily done) then they would have caught this man a lot sooner. What if this man had started raping these women? Come on LPD let's move into the 21st Century... you know better than anyone that there are many, many more dangerous NUTS out these days. When the public calls you, we don't want you to take a report, go back and file it away. We want you to take action to protect us, that's why we pay your wages. This could happen to your wives, sisters or daughters. "

 hmm? wrote on December 28, 2006 10:51 am:
" According to this article, the only evidence was that Mr. Edwards was seen urinating in the laundry room. I'm not saying that he didn't do it, but last time I checked we are still innocent until proven guilty. Let us not cast stones people. "

 Joe wrote on December 28, 2006 1:45 pm:
" I hope the PD keeps an eye on this guy for a long time.....ladies.....keep your doors locked ! "

 Clueless in Lincoln wrote on December 28, 2006 8:48 pm:
" I'm sure LPD has more evidence than what they are releasing to the press to appease hmmm? 21st Century? Cameras? They took the report on Dec. 21st and already made the arrest! It appears to me by reading the article the arrest was made by good old fashioned police work!! Great job LPD! "

 victim wrote on December 29, 2006 12:03 am:
" They will so get him. I hope they do. "

 See what happens? wrote on December 29, 2006 3:28 pm:
" I'm not saying that he didn't do it but what proof is there that he broke into homes and cut the panties. There has to be more evidence to convict him than one womans testimony of urinating in the laundry room. We could all have someone arrested if no evidence was necessary. "

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