UBC voyeur triggers campus alert

UBC RCMP have issued a safety alert at its Point Grey campus following a string of increasingly disturbing reports of a voyeur lurking around residences watching girls and young women undress.

The RCMP has now received five separate reports of voyeurism, including one report of an intruder trying to climb into bed with a young woman. 

"What we've learned is that young teenage females who are here as part of a summer camp program have encountered a person watching them as they're in various stages of undress," said Sgt. Drew Grainger.

The affected residences, Vanier and Totem Park, are typically filled with UBC students, but they're currently occupied by summer camp participants between the ages of 10 and 18.

Police say in all cases, the intruder quickly left after being discovered, offering the victims little chance of identifying him or her.

"This person is entering into shower and bathroom areas of these student residences," said Grainger. "We have varying accounts of different identities of the person believed to be committing this crime." 

Andrew Parr, UBC'S managing director of Student Housing & Hospitality Services, says the university is taking extra precautions as a result, including hiring additional security, increasing patrols, and providing additional front desk staff at residences.

Incidents escalating since almost two weeks ago

Parr said the first report came in on July 4 from a group staying in the Totem Park residence.

"Early reports were of an individual entering into a building that it was apparent he wasn't supposed to be in and was making people uncomfortable in terms of his behaviour and what he was doing," said Parr.

Reports since then have escalated to the individual entering dorm rooms and bathrooms. The most recent incident over the weekend was when the intruder climbed into a young woman's bed.

UBC issues campus-wide alert

Campus staff have posted notices around campus alerting people about the potential threat.

The RCMP is urging campus residents to take extra steps to protect themselves, including:

• Locking residence doors.
• Closing blinds in bedrooms.
• Locking doors to bathrooms, if possible.
• Asking someone to watch the door when they're using shower facilities.

The news has some women on campus feeling concerned about their safety.

Susanne Butcher, a temporary campus resident, recently saw a notice about the alert posted on the door of her residence.

"It wasn't here the first week, so when I read it, it did give me pause for thought," said Butcher.

Past sexual assaults on campus

RCMP say there is no connection to other recent attacks and sex assaults on or around campus. 

In February, a woman was grabbed from behind by a male stranger. 

In 2013, UBC and the RCMP issued a safety alert following a spate of disturbing sex attacks.

Earlier this month, a CBC News investigation into campus sex assaults revealed that date published by UBC on sexual assaults was out of sync with RCMP figures.