From Kevin Sheridan, reporting for KOLO 8 NewsNow:

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Tuesday night, at around 11:30, deputies with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Garden Pond Way in Spanish Springs for a reported peeping incident.

The caller told police that the man had stepped off the walkway and looked into a bedroom window of the home. They also told police the suspect appeared to have a cell phone in his hand during the incident.

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Police say [the suspect] was working as a delivery driver at the time of the incident, though police did not say which company he worked for.

His place of employment was notified of his arrest.

Original article

About Camouflaged Prowlers

This report appears to be a case of camouflaged prowling—a criminal tactic in which bad actors either impersonate or take advantage of a role that "fits" within the environment they're targeting.

Prowling itself is often conflated with property crimes like burglary, but in reality is a planning stage for many other types of crime.

Whereas "traditional" prowling is a surreptitious activity, camouflaged prowling is far more brazen. The idea isn't to go unseen, it's to be overlooked.

One of the most common forms of camouflage is a simple reflective vest, sometimes accompanied by a clipboard as a prop. It allows prowlers to impersonate a worker making a delivery, and in some cases (like the article above), they may actually be mixing crime in with their legitimate activities.

What It Leads To

Whether camouflaged or not, prowling should never be taken lightly. Although most prowlers are on the lookout for opportunities to commit property crimes, it's important to realize that prowling is a form of target selection.

The stark reality is that property crimes fall on the "better" end of the prowling spectrum. The other end is far darker — stalking, sexual assault, kidnapping, and so on.

However, it's not all doom and gloom.

Fighting Back

Camouflaged prowlers rely on three elements to avoid detection:

1. Lack of Community Cohesion

Residents that watch out for each other are less likely to overlook new faces, regardless of what they're up to.

The reason an arrest was made in this case is precisely because a neighbor spotted the suspect and didn't decide "that's not my problem."

2. Casual Presumption

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Since their goal isn't to avoid being seen, camouflaged prowlers rely on a vague impression of legitimacy.

With few exceptions, there's almost always something "off" about a prowler in camouflage; a generic uniform perhaps, or maybe the clipboard they're holding is empty. It's all in the details.

3. Little to No Security Presence

At the end of the day, there's nothing better than a dedicated professional that's trained to detect and deter.

A close-knit community of observant residents may prevent prowlers from successfully committing most crimes, but an effective security presence can keep them away altogether.

Prowlers aren't looking for a challenge; they want soft, easy targets. Even the most astute residents may not stop a determined criminal if their target is valuable enough. That's why it's important to have a security presence that deters, detects — and defends.

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