Ann Arbor police searching for "peeping Tom" in University of Michigan student neighborhood
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Ann Arbor Police Department has turned to the public for help identifying a man who has been peering into the windows of a home on the 1000 block of S. Forest Avenue.
Students said the man has been sneaking up to the side of the residence since the fall and, on some occasions, has engaged in lewd acts outside the property.
For months, he has been peering into the windows of female University of Michigan students, including senior Katie Tenniswood.
"He comes by at the same time between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.," she said. "He knows when we're typically asleep."
Tenniswood said he once spent 45 minutes outside her room while she slept.
"It's hard to describe how violating it feels to have your bed and what I consider my safe space to be, yeah, violated like that," she said.
She said the man is aware he is being filmed but continues to peer into their windows.
"Multiple times he's turned (the camera) or tried to mess with it, so he knows they're there and it doesn't stop him," she said.
Sisters Jame and Marlee Hooberman live down the street.
They said neighboring students are aware of the peeping Tom.
"I live in the basement, and there's a cutout window, so someone could easily kind of stick their head there, so it's definitely really unsettling to hear that that's happening, so my roommates and I are all very aware and nervous about that," said Jane.
"It is unnerving because at night, we go to the kitchen to get water, snacks, depending on what we want," said Marlee. "We do keep our blinds open sometimes and don't really think to shut them every night. And now we're making sure that we are."
Tenniswood said she and her roommates asked their property management company to pay for motion-activated lights, but they were instead referred to the police.
The Ann Arbor Police Department says that several incidents have been reported in the neighborhood.
The investigation is ongoing, and the most recent incident occurred on March 24.
Police advise area residents to:
- Keep exterior doors and windows locked
- Keep curtains and shades closed
- Remain vigilant of surroundings, especially at night
Anyone with information is asked to contact the AAPD tip line at 734-794-6939 or email tips@a2gov.org.