Alleged Underwear Thief Told Police His Habit Started Early

GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) - A man who is suspected of stealing women's underwear from an apartment complex laundry room has been arrested and is being held in the Weld County Jail on burglary and theft charges.

Joey Eugene Gallegos, 39, lived in an apartment building with his father on 30th Street in Greeley. A woman there said she was recently doing her laundry in the laundry room when she noticed Gallegos watching her.

"She went over to the washing machine and discovered puddles in front of the machine and all of her underwear missing," said Greeley police Sgt. Susan West.

She then followed him to his apartment -- No. 202. The woman then reported the man to Greeley police.

"During this time we discovered a second victim who had had a similar problem on a different day," West said.

Officers executed a search warrant at Gallegos' apartment and found more than 350 items of women's undergarments, clothes and makeup cases.

Police are now hoping to determine who owns the stolen items so they can strengthen their case against the suspect.

"It's very creepy," a woman who lives across the hall from Gallegos told CBS4. The woman said that "as far as she knows" Gallegos didn't take any of her belongings.

Police said they are in contact with another woman who used to live in the building.

"Two separate times an individual had come into her home and stolen all of her undergarments," West said.

Gallegos allegedly told police his interest in women's undergarments started at age 8. He said he stole them for sexual pleasure.

A couple that lives in the building told CBS4 they would often see Gallegos standing outside and looking over at the laundry room.

The Greeley Police Department asks that anyone who believes they are missing items to contact Detective Matt Walsh at (970) 350-9549 so police can more completely investigate the thefts.

"If they don't want these items back we completely understand that. I wouldn't want them back if it were me," Walsh said.

Gallegos' father moved out of the apartment following his son's arrest.