Police have offered advice and support to a young woman after reports of a suspicious male in the Hoole area of Chester.
Cheshire Police responded after a resident of William Street caught the man peering into her bathroom from a rear alleyway under the cover of darkness on four separate occasions – early in the morning and in the evening. A female neighbour later indicated she had endured a similar experience.
Officers have made fellow residents aware of the incidents by knocking door-to-door.
The Chronicle has spoken to the victim who posted a warning message on Facebook and did a leaflet-drop in the immediate neighbourhood to raise awareness and encourage vigilance in the close-knit community. She is unsure if the perpetrator is ‘a peeping Tom’ or a potential burglar ‘sussing out who’s in when’.
The young woman, who admits the experiences have ‘put her on edge’, said: “The police have been brilliant. They have come round to see me a number of times and offered advice and support.”
Keen to highlight the positives about living in Hoole, the victim explained that it was the closeness of the community that led her to spread the word about what happened.
She said: “It’s a fantastic, urban, tight-knit community who look out for each other. We have loads of events and we have just won Best Newcomer in the Great British High Street Awards . It was just to create an awareness and to be vigilant and look out for this particular guy.”
The victim, who has taken additional security measures including installing extra locks, says the suspicious male wears a grey hood over his head. On realising he’s been spotted, he ducks out of sight.
She added: “I’m keen to raise awareness so that it either spurs people on to report him or it acts as a deterrent to stop him doing it.”
Suggested security measures include installing security lights and cameras, making sure doors and windows are always locked and that bathroom blinds are pulled down.
Cheshire Police spokeswoman Rachel Hayes said: “Thankfully we haven’t had any further reports, but are aware of the issue and have given advice and support. Anyone who sees suspicious activity should contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 111 of 18 November 2015.”
