peeping Tom in my building... Scared to go out of town tomorrow...

Hello TCS family..... Here I go again..... Off to Florida tomorrow for 4 days..... D-O-N-T wanna go
I am super worried this time as for the last month and 1/2 or so there has been a "Peeping Tom" in my building looking through people's apartments, trying to see through the blinds. Super scary.
The last day he was seen was today, peeking through the apartment directly across from mine. A neighbor opened the door at 6:30 am and caught him in the act. He walked away quickly and ran away before the police arrived.
This is the 5th time he has been caught in my building, every time between 6:30-7:30am, and the 5th time he escapes. Of course nobody is going to confront him, as he could be dangerous.
The police is working closely with us, and all the neighbors are involved - we have a mass email and text message system that goes off as soon as he is spotted.
The neighbors in the corners of the building, which include me, will be now waking up at 6am and watching through the blinds to quietly call the cops when he comes over, instead of opening the door, in an attempt to give him enough time standing there for the cops to arrive.
I called the police department today and they have a pass and watch program for residents in my town who are going out of town - you give them the dates you are out and they keep coming by throughout the day to check on the doors, windows etc.
They will also put extra personnel watching the building around that time, early in the morning.
The building is open, so there is no security system in place... This is also SO out of the ordinary for this area... This is a SAFE area.
The suspect is a male, early 30's, muscular build, Hispanic, spiky short hair, 5'10", around 180lbs = scary.
We were trying to figure out what he might want, and we just can't understand his motives.... Is he a voyeur? Is he mentally Ill? Is he casing the building? But then if he is casing, how come he is here at a time he could easily be caught?
Weird.
Anyways, I am scared... I am scared for the kitties.... I don't care for my material things - that the insurance can replace.... But my kitties... I am so scared of him breaking in and leaving the door open, or doing something to them...
I can't think about it too much, as I AM going tomorrow, but I can't help it either.
Anyways, can you please, more than ever keep an eye on my babies? Here is how.
Can you also send me some vibes?

If you see something, please send me a PM immediately, so I can send the cops in.
Thank you

Oh geeez!! How scary!! Lot's and lot's of headed your way!!

Have you told your neighbours your going away just so they can be extra alert?.

It might be an idea to have a neighbourhood watch meeting to all chip in to get a couple of security cameras for the street?.

Lots of coming over, but i'll keep looking at your link when your away as well

I would be happy to check in on your babies as I will be home a great deal of the time this weekend.

Maybe you could try to leave the apartment looking like someone is at home. Leave the tv on, maybe some lights or radio on?
That sure is creepy!

That is very creepy!!! If you can get a timer so you can have lights go on and off to make it appear as if someone is home. I would also leave a radio or TV on loud enough so it can be heard if someone is listening at your door.

Make sure everything is locked up tight. Since everyone is on high alert I'm sure everything will be just fine. And you will have all of us checking in on your kitties!!!

It also may help to buy an inexpensive security camera for your place. Even though the guy doesn't seem to care much if he is seen....

Wow, that's creepy. No security cameras around?

Ok, so it appears that he was caught today........ above my apartment at the same time!

At 6:30 am I put my alarm on and watched through the blinds, but could not see anything.
Another resident was watching through her blinds upstairs at the same time and saw him, and called the police - he fled the building but was caught in a street close by.
He has been taken in, interviewed and photographed. His license plate registered.
He can not be arrested as he hasn't done "anything" yet.
The police will put up pictures of him all over town with the police's phone number as a suspect and to call in if he is seen wondering around houses again.
He is a construction worker a couple of blocks away - the police also went to his construction site and spoke to all employees saying that the are being watched closely.
They also told the guy that we all know of what he is doing (obviously), and that if he is caught he is going to be locked up.

Two of my neighbors are on the police station right now working on the paperwork.

I think he won't show up for a little while now...

Wow, he's not very bright, is he? Hope he stays away, but I would encourage your neighbors to continue to be vigilant until his job nearby is finished. You don't know if he might be vengeful.

Good luck and glad the immediate danger is over!

C

about 25 years ago. I lived in a moblie home in a park. Dh was working out of town I was home alone. I decided to have a bath. I kept feeling like someone was watching me. I looked up and there was a man looking through my window. I phoned a neighbour's husband to come. The peeping Tom was gone but there was a huge stump under the bathroom window. I was so embarassed, We lived out of town, this was one of my neighbours. We moved right away because I was terrified of staying home alone.

Thank goodness you will have that much less worry while you are gone.

So, it is not over yet...
Yes, he was "caught". No, they can't do anything about it.
The police was waiting for him in my building, and followed him out as soon as they received a call from my upstairs neighbor, who was watching through the blinds.
He was pulled over, photgraphed and interrogated.
He was inside of his car with his pants down, so you imagine now what his deal is and what he has been doing watching our windows.
We have 3 eye witnesses from the building that already filed the paperwork, however right now if they charge him it would only be a Class C Misdeminor.
He was caught out of the site, and hasn't done "anything" yet. He is know to the Highland Park police, and was caught doing the same thing in another complex in 2009. The police believes he is doing a "round" in the neighborhood, peeping through windows in different places. They described him as very weird, sort of mental.

The police will not release the pictures now for the next few days as they do not want to scare him away to do the same thing in another neighborhood, or just quiet down to come back later - they want to catch him for good.

So, for now on an undercover cop will be stationed in my parking lot wating for him every morning in an unmarked car. Next time he is in the building, if caught, then they will have a strong case for a fellony.

There has a possibility that he has been around doing this since 2008. We do not know for how long he has been coming to my place...

The police can not check if he is ilegal either - he can not be deported.

Well, that is the story... This guy is very bold and defiant... I do think he will be back soon, tomorrow or the day after. I hope that is his last time.

Wow that is mega creepy and downright disgusting.

Glad to hear though that it seems he's close to being caught, or at the very least scared away from your complex to some other place to practice his 'activities'...

What the heck is wrong with people?????

In analizing his pattern and behavior, the police thinks he will be back here in the building very very soon - high probability of even tomorrow or in the next couple of days.
Yeah, he does sound pretty disgusting.

I would agree that this is far from over, unfortunately. The "good" thing is...if he has such a long history of simply voyeurism, it is unlikely that he will escalate to more violent stuff or he would have done it by now. For the vast majority of voyeurs, just the looking and the thrill of the risk is enough for them.

Good luck.

I wouldn't be advertising my comings and goings on a public message board

Originally Posted by missymotus

I wouldn't be advertising my comings and goings on a public message board

Click to expand...

Well... I am not advertising it - I am commeting it. And why, because of this guy? Nah - he is not that sophisticated.
Spoke to my petsitter yerterday, and she said - Carolina, damn, your apartment is being WATCHED! She said As she was getting there, a neighboor pulled up asking questions on who she was, told her what was going on and to be on the allert.
At least three more as she was going out asked her her name, who she was and what she was doing at my house.
I have Kelly, 20 neighbors, and the police specially watching my apartment (they have this sevice in my town). So...... nah. I was very concerned for the kitties to be alone and him breaking through the house, but the police really does not think that is the case, otherwise he would already done so. He had plenty of opportunity, and plenty of people travel in my building. This guy is a voyeur. This is a sex crime.
Plus, all he has a first name and a city with millions of people.
I just hope this is caught.

I hope they can catch him. That's creepy.

Vibes for you Carolina and for what CatMom2Wires said