Tisbury police believe they are getting closer to identifying the town’s peeping Tom, who remains active despite publicity about the case and the arrival of colder weather.
Det. Mark Santon said police now believed the man had been active since the summer, peering in windows over a large area of town. The most recent report of his activities came in on Wednesday.
“We think we’re getting closer,” he said. “We have a lot of tips coming in from folks. But we don’t have a name yet. It involves an area from Edgartown Road out to Franklin street and almost all the way to West Chop. There have been a flurry of calls this week,” he said, adding: “As recently as yesterday we had a call from a woman who heard a noise during the night. At 5 a.m. she saw that a rock had been placed on her window sill.”
He said police were grateful for any information, even simply reports of odd noises in the night. “Some could just be deer walking through the yard, but some are likely to be a person. A rock is not going to be left on a window sill by a deer prancing through the woods,” Detective Santon said.
Police have responded to a half-dozen incidents over the past six weeks. Twice the man has been chased on foot, once by police, but has eluded capture both times.
Detective Santon said a number of reports came from residents in houses adjoining or close to a power line easement off the western side of Franklin street. “It looks like the person could be traveling along there,” he said.
The suspect is described as a male, 20 to 25 years old, of medium build, with a dark or olive complexion. He has consistently worn a white baseball-style cap facing backwards.
The incidents occurred late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
The closest encounter involved a woman who surprised him at the back of her house when she went out to investigate a noise.
“She thought she would find a deer and found him. There was a standoff for a while, then she screamed and he ran. She came in the next day,” Detective Santon said.
So far at least, the offender has only peered in windows and has not entered any houses or touched anyone.
Residents have been advised to ensure their windows are covered at night and to report information to the officer in charge at 508-696-4240.
“The case is very active,” Detective Santon said.
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