I am reviewing all the old articles.
This is interesting. The wording in this article, suggests that LE found the stolen items (condoms), in the search of SM's apartment, and then he admitted it.
I am going to speculate here, and suggest that the condoms (and whatever else) must have been stored/displayed in such a manner as to indicate that they were not his, or there was something else of a suspicious nature to suggest they were stolen, kwim?
Also, what was the basis for obtaining the search warrant, if LE did that PRIOR to finding evidence of the theft, and PRIOR to having him confess?