A serial Peeping Tom, who was spotted looking into University of St. Thomas students’ off-campus houses in 2015, was released Oct. 8 on a $300,000 bond.
The man, John David Searle, 55, has over a dozen convictions for crimes related to invasion of privacy since 1995, according to Minnesota court records.
Searle has been accused of filming naked women multiple times, including near St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota and has been in and out of jail for years, according to CBS News. He was also found guilty of interfering with the privacy of a minor in 2016.
Most recently, Searle was arrested Oct. 5 for allegedly filming people through their windows in Minneapolis, according to CBS News. He was released on bond three days later despite prosecutors calling him “an extreme risk to public safety.”
Aaron Fimon, the assistant director of St. Thomas Public Safety, said that officers are aware of Searle’s release and have increased their presence near residence halls.
“The officers know who they’re looking for while they’re on patrol and they’re trying to stay visible, which is a deterrent,” Fimon said.
Fimon said that if students ever come across someone lingering outside buildings or behaving abnormally, they should immediately call Public Safety.
“If they see him or anyone who looks like they’re up to no good … even if you can’t quite explain it, still call us,” Fimon said.
Fimon said that students can also use the SafeZone app to report suspicious activity.
“It’s like a panic button in your pocket,” Fimon said. “You can even text dispatch if you can’t talk at the moment; you can even take a picture to send to a dispatcher.”
Public Safety serves students within six blocks of campus. Fimon said if anyone sees strange activity outside that area, they should call the St. Paul Police Department.
“I think some of these people get nervous that their emergency isn’t an actual emergency, but they shouldn’t feel that way,” Fimon said. “Still call St. Paul (Police) — they’re great, they want to help us.”
Public Safety has no reason to believe Searle is planning to come to St. Thomas’ campus, according to Fimon. Regardless, he said it’s important for people to be on alert.
“We’re in a really safe part of the Twin Cities, but bad things can happen anywhere,” Fimon said. “I just want people to be aware of their surroundings, don’t have two earbuds in … and don’t be afraid to call us.”
Emily Kratz can be reached at krat1542@stthomas.edu.
Chris Calvert can be reached at 4769@stthomas.edu.
