 "Photo: Helen Hocknell")
On Monday afternoon, UNH police received a report of a bathroom peeper in Devine Hall on Sunday night. Residents of the hall were informed of the incident through an e-mail on Wednesday in addition to signs posted in the stalls and at the entrances to the building.
While no crime has been committed, police said they have no leads as to the identity of the man, who was described as 5'9" to 6' tall, wearing a black Northface style jacket with blue jeans and black Timberland style boots. This description has led several residents to believe the peeper is a student.
"I can't help but wonder if it was a student," said Kelly Lamb, a sophomore and resident of Devine Hall. Fellow resident Megan Hilton agreed, adding that the clothes are "what everyone wears."
Senior Hanh Doan said that while nothing has changed dramatically since the incident, "It's kind of scary knowing someone can just come in."
Other residents were less frightened by the peeper. "I think it's kind of creepy," said Hilton, who said she did not feel threatened by the peeper. "[But] he didn't cause any harm… other than scaring the crap out of her."
Some residents have taken to extra personal security. Doan now locks her door when leaving to use the bathroom. Hilton said when she goes to shower now she makes sure someone is nearby.
Freshman Niquesha Harrigan said the incident has definitely made her more safety conscious.
"My door is locked 90 percent of the time now," she said, adding that it worried her how easy it can be to get into the dorms. "Don't let anybody in you don't know," she advised. "You don't want to be rude, but you've got to think about the safety [of you and your fellow residents]."
UNH Deputy Police Chief Paul Dean expressed frustration in regard to the time lapse between when the incident occurred late Sunday night and when it was reported to police the following afternoon.
"We have no leads at this time," said Dean, who added that at this point they have only a remote chance of identifying the man. He emphasized how important it is for community members to report incidents as soon as they happen.
"We want people to call us - call 911," Dean said. "Don't worry if you're bothering us. I don't care if you call us 100 times a night."
According to Dean, there is no reason to believe that this incident is related to the reports of a man prowling bathrooms and dormitories in the fall.
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