'What Is He Going To Do Next?': Peeping Tom Terrifies Women In Midtown Sacramento
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Sacramento police are looking for a prowler on the loose after multiple victims have reported a man is lurking through midtown Sacramento at night. Victims say the man has been terrorizing women for months.
The crimes range from creepy to terrifying and victims say this Peeping Tom is getting bolder by the day.
A stranger started sneaking into Monique Moffett's apartment complex in August. It started with ringing her doorbell, leaving women's underwear and roses at her door.
"I was terrified I didn't know who it could be. I originally thought it was a stalker, I didn't realize I wasn't alone with what I was experiencing," Moffett said. "I'm not sleeping at all, I wake up every other hour," she explained.
Her cameras catching this same man at least seven times staring at her from outside. His actions escalated in December when he peeped into her bathroom window.
"He appeared in my window and I screamed, he removed the screen off my window and I was yelling at him 'Go away, go away, I'm calling the police' and he still stood there, he didn't move," she said.
Elicia Alvarado, another victim, is increasing security after catching the same culprit watching her.
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"I can't put into words how awful and terrifying this is," explained Alvarado. "He was knocking on my window and looking through it. I could see his face," she said
On January 19 he came back marking the latest in a suspicious string of prowling, said Alvarado.
"I got out of the shower at and I notice my phone is missing and my back door is open and I always close and lock everything. I immediately knew something was wrong," Alvarado said. "I feel really paranoid, I'm always putting my shades down and locking my doors, having to double-check, I can't sleep at night," she said.
Alvarado found her phone outside on the lawn with a sexual message written on it.
"That's my greatest concern -- what is he going to do next?" she said.
At least six women from midtown to East Sacramento have shared similar incidents online the women say it's not a coincidence.
"His description, his behavior of carrying with a stick and pole, disguising himself, the times he is active," said another neighbor, Lindsey.
Lindsey is coordinating efforts to catch the culprit. At least a dozen other women have contacted her through social media suspecting they have been targeted too. She is asking the community to stay vigilant and report if they have been victimized as well.
"I want them to live in peace too and for us to not have to worry about this," she said.
All the victims have been women who live in apartments alone. After more than a dozen encounters, they're terrified next time he will get violent. Witnesses describe him as a Hispanic man in most cases wearing a grey Raiders beanie with a pom-pom on it. According to Lindsey, in each encounter, he has targeted women who have brown hair and who live on the first floor of their apartments. It's also always at night.
"After an incident occurs, he usually lays off that person for two or three weeks and targets someone else," Lindsey explained.
Police confirm they are investigating the crimes after several reports and increasing patrols in the targeted neighborhoods.
According to police, if the suspect is caught, he could be arrested for felony burglary and misdemeanor prowling.
Detectives are looking for more surveillance video from other victims or witnesses. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357)