Peeping Tom victim hangs flyers of man’s face in Midtown Atlanta neighborhood
By SAVANNAH LOUIE
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ATLANTA, Georgia (WGCL) — A small group of Midtown Atlanta women are taking action against a man they say has terrorized the neighborhood for years.
Sidney, a resident on Myrtle Street, is leading the charge. She said she is the latest victim of a “Peeping Tom.”
“I’m debating sleeping in my bathtub because that’s the only room in my house without windows. He’s looked through every single one of my windows for an extended period of time,” said Sidney.
Sidney caught the man on Ring camera video looking into her apartment twice in one week.
“I’m watching him live,” she explained. “I call 911 — see him staring into my bedroom window while I’m on the phone with 911.”
Sidney said she was disappointed in the response from the officer when she called in the crime on Jan. 21.
“They didn’t ask for the video, they didn’t ask for pictures, screenshots or anything,” she explained. “I don’t feel the cops are going to care until it’s game over, and I don’t want to be that person.“
When Sidney noticed the same man staring into her apartment again three days later, she posted her story on social media and hung up about 100 flyers in her midtown neighborhood.
“I took screenshots of a couple different angles of his face and put them on flyers. Most say if you see this man call 911 immediately,” she explained.
Police reports of a Myrtle Street Peeping Tom date back to 2019, but residents told CBS46 this man has been looking into women’s homes even before that.
At Sidney’s apartment building, residents estimate there have been seven incident reports to police since July 2021. Some said their reports feel like a waste of time.
However, Atlanta attorney Titus Nichols encouraged residents to continue making official reports.
“If there’s four different women, there’s four different charges against him and he can go to prison for up to five years for each individual charge,” said Nichols.
Nichols explained Peeping Tom cases can be a challenge. While victims might recognize the suspect’s face, authorities would be better equipped with a name.
“A lot of times they don’t know who that person is, so police can’t utilize resources,” he explained.
Additionally, the perpetrator must be caught in the act or authorities must determine “intent” from the suspect.
Midtown Neighbors’ Association reports police are boosting presence in response to resident reports. In a statement to CBS46, a spokesperson said:
“It is important for residents to call 911 when they see him and provide a real-time detailed description. Often with prowling cases, the suspect may appear frequently but leaves the location quickly. Zone 5 APD has committed an additional beat officer to respond immediately to these calls. They are taking it seriously but need our community’s reporting assistance.”
Midtown Neighbors’ Association encouraged concerned residents to stay connected through a monthly virtual safety committee meetings.
The action offered little comfort for those who felt violated.
“I don’t feel safe. I don’t sleep. I don’t function. I am a shell of a woman truthfully,” said Sidney.
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