THESSALONIKI, Greece — A court in northern Greece handed down a suspended one-month prison sentence to a 28-year-old man for disturbing his neighbors by repeatedly sneaking into their properties to sniff shoes.
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The man, who appeared before the Thessaloniki court on Thursday, expressed embarrassment over his actions, admitting he couldn’t explain his unusual behavior.
“I never intended to break the law or cause harm,” he told the court. Neighbors testified that despite his strange nocturnal visits, the man had never shown any signs of aggression.

Authorities arrested the man in the early hours of Oct. 8 in Sindos, a small town about 15 kilometers (9 miles) west of Thessaloniki. Police were called to the scene after a neighbor discovered the man in his yard, sniffing shoes left outside to air.
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The court heard that there had been at least three similar incidents in the past six months, even though neighbors had previously asked the man’s family to intervene.
As part of his sentence, the court ordered the man to attend therapy sessions.