Hidden cameras found in womens' bedrooms

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WMAR) - A disturbing story out of Howard County – police say two women were videotaped inside of their own home.

The peeping tom in this case was crafty enough to break into the home and install a camera, but not smart enough to keep that camera from capturing video of himself, which is now in the hands of the Howard County Police Department.

The videos show the suspect walking through the womens' home and eventually installing the camera inside of a closet.

He apparently kept it running, and went back into the condominium unit several times to retrieve the videos of the two women who live there, and move the camera to different locations.

Both of the victims are in their 20's.

“I'm surprised but I guess I'm not completely shocked because i hear things like that.  But it's surprising that it's here,” said Trish Kirsch, who has lived in The Villages of Montgomery Run condominium complex for 10 years.

Other residents say they'd heard about the high-tech peeping tom from a community watch e-mail.

“Some stranger had entered an apartment with two girls living there, and he videotaped their bedrooms,” said Tayseer Elbeshir.

Police say it started in June -- and the man kept coming back until recently, when one of the women found the camera, and called police.

“There doesn't appear to have been forced entry so we're not sure how he gained access to the apartment, and he apparently did it multiple times,” said Sherry Llewellyn, a spokeswoman for the Howard County Police Department.

Each condominium in the complex is individually owned, and many of them are rented out; police have already checked maintenance people and contractors working in the area.

The locks on the womens' door have been changed -- but police have not been able to identify the man who managed to video-tape himself committing a crime, yet.

“It's a beautiful area; it's a beautiful quiet neighborhood,” Elbeshir said.  “So something like this to happen is weird.  It's different.”

In some of those videos the man is wearing what might be a work uniform.

If you think you recognize the man you're asked to call Howard County Police at (410) 313-3200.