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Surprise Police Arrest ‘Peeping Tom’ Caught on Camera

Technology has played a major role is removing a peeping tom from the streets.

The Surprise Police Department arrested a man for allegedly committing acts of voyeurism, after he was seen on a doorbell camera looking into multiple windows.

According to court records, police arrested Evan Matthew Hanhardt, 28, following an incident on Aug. 15. Prior to his arrest, for over a week, residents in the gated community near Mountain View Blvd. and Parkview Place had caught Hanhardt on their doorbell cameras. He was seen on numerous occasions walking up to windows and looking inside. In some incidences, he would use a flashlight for a better look inside.


On Monday evening shortly after 9 p.m., Hanhardt was back on the prowl. However this time, an off-duty Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detention officer whose girlfriend lived in the complex happen to catch him in the act. He was detained him until the Surprise PD arrived.

According to police records, Hanhardt can be seen on Ring doorbell cameras throughout the community, peeking into multiple windows on August 7, 8, 12, and 15th.

Hanhardt admitted to committing the crimes and said peering into different windows gave him a “rush.” He told investigators he typically goes out for a walk at night, and he walks up to a window to look in when he sees a light on or blinds open. Hanhardt told officers that he first peered into a window as a teenager when he lived in California and but only recently picked up the illegal habit again.

Due to his admission, authorities booked him on eight counts of voyeurism which is a class five felony in the state of Arizona. A judge has set a $25,000 cash-only bond for Hanhardt. If he is able to make bond, he is banned from leaving his home, except during the hours set by his pretrial officer.

Surprise police department believe there may be more victims.  If you believe this happened to you or if you have video of him looking through your window, you’re urged to contact police. You can call them at 623-222-TIPS or email them at [email protected].