Sydney 'peeping Tom' caught on camera: 'We always knew'
Police are hunting for a man filmed peering into a home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
For months, a group of five female housemates in Randwick had been feeling like someone was watching them. They’d also been hearing footsteps outside their bedroom windows.
“It was just like this overwhelming sense of unease,” one of the tenants Sarah (not her real name), told Channel Nine.
“I’ve had weeks where I haven’t slept at night, like I will wait until sunrise because that’s when I start feeling safe again.”
"In our gut, and our instincts, we always knew that we were being watched," another housemate, who chose not to be named, told Seven News.
The uni students said their paranoia reached breaking point when another of their other housemates nearly came face-to-face with the alleged ‘peeping Tom’.
“It was probably close to 1am, she was just brushing her teeth and then she just looks up and sees an iPhone camera up against the clear glass,” Lucy (not her real name) told Channel Nine.
“Then she looks back down, then she looks up again and it was still there and then she looked straight into it and then she yells out, ‘I know you’re there’ and then it just disappears.”
It was the final straw for the group of women who went on to put up a security camera.
The device paid off just two weeks later when a man was caught lurking outside their Arthur Street property on Saturday, May 7.
At around 10pm, the man was seen at their bathroom window, while trying to cover his face, before walking back down the driveway.
When the women inside the house realised what was going on, one of their boyfriend's raced after him.
A violent confrontation broke out between the two men, with the housemate's partner punching the alleged trespasser several times.
During the altercation, the man defended himself saying, "I haven’t done anything wrong, it’s not me, what are you talking about?"
Police were called and combed the local area but couldn’t locate the man.
As part of their ‘peep and pry’ investigation, they’ve now released several images in the hope someone will recognise him.
“We are taking it seriously and we are hoping someone can identify this male,” NSW Police Acting Superintendent Rod Pistola told Channel Nine.
“If that man does see himself, please come forward before we come and tap on your door.”
“It’s only a matter of time before we find out who you are, and come looking for you.”
While police investigations continue, the women live in fear that there may be videos of themselves in their bathroom.
“His goal, I am guessing, is to see us naked or something, but I always think about all the random other things he must have seen as well,” Sarah said.
The other, unnamed housemate added, "I just want him to not think that he can get away with this, and not to do it to other houses and put stress onto other people."
Police said the man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 180 to 185 centimetres tall, of slim build, with brown hair. He may also have a British accent.
In the video, he was seen wearing black jeans and a zip-up jumper.
Anyone with information, or who may have dashcam footage of the area at the time of the incident, is urged to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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