ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ann Arbor Police are investigating after receiving multiple reports of a man caught peeping in windows near the University of Michigan campus.
In a social media post, the Ann Arbor Police Department shared several locations where there have been reports of “prowlers” looking into homes. The most recent incident occurred around 1:30 a.m Monday in the 500 block of E. Kingsley Street. A resident reported seeing a man looking into a home and then fleeing the area on foot.
Other areas where similar incidents have been reported include:
- 1100 Block of White Street
- 900 Block of Dewey Ave
- 200 Block of Thayer Street
One of the students who was targeted is Katie Delaney. Delaney has been living in her home on White Street while working a summer job and says she caught a man trying to record her through her windows on three separate occasions over the past few weeks.
The first time, she says she caught someone fleeing after climbing her fire escape. On two other occasions, she says she spotted a small camera in her bedroom window and realized someone was trying to record her.
“There was a little camera, and it disappeared out of view,” Delaney said. “I looked it up and it turns out it was a GoPro.”
After reporting the incidents to police the second time, she learned other homes were also being targeted.
“It makes me kind of nervous for all the people that are moving in, and they don’t have a room set up, they don’t have blinds or don’t have anything like that yet,” Delaney said. “I’m kind of worried for them.”
While Delaney has security cameras, she says the suspect was never caught on video. Ann Arbor Police are still working to determine if all the incidents are connected to the same person and say there is no known surveillance video of the suspect or suspects involved.
Sergeant Mark Pulford urged students to take precautions to protect themselves.
“We recommend that people shut their blinds, especially at night, whether you’re on the first level or second level,” Pulford said. “Keeping the landscape trim, that way you have a clear line of sight to the doors and the windows, also preventing areas for people to hide. If you have the capability to put a door camera on the house, we also recommend that as well.”
Police also recommend using outdoor lighting to deter prowlers and removing anything lightweight that someone could stand on to see into your home, like trash cans.
Anyone who may have information about the incidents or home surveillance video capturing suspicious activity can contact Ann Arbor Police at 734-794-6920, email tips@a2gov.org, or submit an anonymous tip through Silent Witness here.