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Caught on camera: "Peeping Tom" revisits apartment

Posted at 6:04 PM, Jul 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-11 21:15:20-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Surveillance video shows an apparent "Peeping Tom" lurking outside windows at night in Hillcrest.

One of the videos was recorded in early May around 9 p.m.  A man is seen walking up the stairs to Javier Suarez' apartment on Crestwood Place, before bending down and staring through the front windows for about four seconds before leaving.  Suarez's neighbor with the camera told him the next day, but he didn't think much of it until the man returned six weeks later.

"That time I had friends over," said Suarez.

Nobody noticed at the time, but the video later showed the same man: African American, possibly his in late 20s, with the same backpack.  In the video he peers low and high.  

"It's scary and creepy.  It's your privacy," Suarez.

Fast forward to Monday night.  Video shows the same man back again.  This time he takes a quick glance and makes a quick exit when someone drives up.  The man in the video is someone Chris Brenneman recognizes.

"It's clearly the same individual.  I recognize the facial features, clothing and definitely the backpack," said Brenneman.

Brenneman lives about 10 blocks away and began renting out a room in this home in early June.  The former tenant warned him about a "Peeping Tom" incident.  Two weeks ago, Brenneman saw him while watching television in bed.  The man was undeterred by the motion activated lights on the patio.

"Out of the corner of my eye, I look and I see a face planted in my window, the corner of my window ... just staring at me," said Brenneman.
    
Brenneman chased him and called police, but he got away.  Both Brenneman and Suarez believe the man is becoming more comfortable and needs to be caught.    

"He's one step removed from doing something else ... next he could be breaking into a home," said Brenneman.

After Suarez posted the video online, he says several other neighbors have reached out, saying they believe the same man was staring through their windows.

If you have any information, call the San Diego Police Department at 619-531-2000.