A 58-year-old man is wanted after LAPD says he slipped into a Westchester backyard and peered through the window of a 21-year-old woman around 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. The suspect remains at large, and investigators are asking anyone with information on his exact location or who believes they are witnessing a peeping Tom in the act to call 911.
According to KTLA, the man entered the victim's backyard without permission before peering through her window, and LAPD says he has been arrested for peeping in the same neighborhood before. Police describe him as 5 feet 9 inches tall, 210 pounds, and bow-legged, and say he was last seen wearing a light-colored baseball cap and a gray long-sleeve shirt. He drives a gold 2002 GMC Yukon that sometimes has a trailer attached, and LAPD released a photo of both the man and his SUV in hopes someone recognizes him.
Officers are asking residents who witness a peeping Tom in the act to call 911 right away, and anyone with information on the suspect's exact location to do the same. Tipsters with other details can also call the department's non-emergency line at (877) 275-5273.
LAPD Urges Residents To Lock Up And Stay Alert
LAPD is advising the public to take precautions while the suspect remains at large, telling residents to remain vigilant, lock their doors and windows, keep exterior lights on, and report any suspicious activity in the area, per the same report.
The warning lands amid a broader run of unease in Westchester. Police reported that 75 home break-ins occurred in the neighborhood over a three-month stretch from October to December 2023, according to KTLA, and then-interim LAPD Chief Dominic Choi noted that residential burglaries had climbed citywide by 4.5 percent compared with the same period the year before. That same reporting described several Westchester burglaries in which suspects were seen lurking and peering into windows before shattering glass to get inside — though the available evidence does not establish any connection between those break-ins and the man wanted in this case.
Separate Incidents Highlight A Wider Pattern, Without Confirmed Ties
Westchester has seen other unsettling reports involving figures peering into homes. westsidecurrent.com reported that a man allegedly entered a Westchester backyard and peered into the window of an accessory dwelling unit, prompting an LAPD warning for neighbors to stay alert. And back on Feb. 5, a 911 caller reported an unconfirmed incident at 7004 Arizona Avenue involving a man looking into houses and vehicles, described by dispatch, per Citizen, as a Hispanic male in his mid-to-late 20s wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and long black shorts with white stripes.
Elsewhere in Los Angeles, police have separately described a different serial peeping Tom accused of exposing himself to women in the Mid-City and West Los Angeles areas, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. A Venice couple also reported spotting a man looking through their window around 3 a.m. on March 22, wearing a helmet, headphones and glasses while holding a tablet or phone — though investigators said at the time they did not believe that case was tied to other peeping-Tom reports in the city.
In a comparable case last year, West Hollywood police arrested Jackie Harrington on suspicion of peeking through a laundry room and exposing himself following a Sept. 19 incident, according to NBC Los Angeles. Court records showed Harrington had a history of lewd acts, peeking and burglary dating back to September 2019, and detectives said at the time they believed there could be additional incidents tied to him.
What The Law Says About Peeping Allegations
California law treats certain peeping-related conduct under Penal Code Section 647, which, with listed exceptions, makes specified acts a misdemeanor offense known as disorderly conduct, according to California Legislative Information. The statute does not by itself establish which charges, if any, apply in this specific Westchester case.
For now, the man remains at large, and LAPD is leaning on the community to help close the gap. Residents with any information are urged to call 911 if they see him in the act, or dial the department's tip line otherwise.
