Police nab alleged panty snatcher in Highland

Annan M. Gross of Alton was caught by police in the basement of a Highland home, and nearby were a couple of pairs of ladies panties.

Highland police were called to the home in the 700 block of 12th St. in Highland on July 8 at 9:58 p.m., said Detective Damian Feeny, by the female resident who spotted Gross and fled to a neighbor’s home to make the 911 call. The woman had been at work in Edwardsville, then came home and found a man in her home, she told police. Gross is the woman’s supervisor at her place of employment.

An officer approached the door and spotted Gross, 31, in the window, Feeny said. Gross fled to the basement of the home, where he was arrested.

“Near him, the officer spotted two pairs of women’s underwear,” Feeny said.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Gross’ 2003 Saturn and found a bag with sealed plastic bags that contained women’s underwear, hair and feminine protection products, Feeny said. The bags were each labeled with women’s names, Feeny said.

Gross previously lived in Rexburg, Idaho, and Belleville. In 1999, Gross was the victim of a robbery as he waited outside Belleville West auditorium for a ride home. Gross was approached by four or five other students who demanded his money, police said.

Gross was being held Thursday in the Madison County Jail without bond on charges of residential burglary.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 8:01 AM with the headline "Police nab alleged panty snatcher in Highland."